SWISS to deploy Airbus A350 on European routes ahead of long-haul debut

SWISS International Air Lines is preparing to welcome its first Airbus A350-900, which will gradually replace the airline’s aging four-engine A340-300s. Before entering long-haul service, the aircraft will undergo a short phase of intra-European operations.

According to Rputes Online, SWISS plans to operate the A350 between Zurich and cities such as Düsseldorf, Geneva, Hannover, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, and Prague, starting October 25. The Zurich–Palma de Mallorca route is currently listed as the tentative inaugural flight for the type in the carrier’s network.

Operating new aircraft on shorter sectors is a common practice among airlines, enabling crews to gain experience before the type is deployed on intercontinental routes. Once in full service, the A350 is expected to bring improved fuel efficiency and enhanced passenger comfort to SWISS’s long-haul operations.

Replacement for the A340

SWISS’s first Airbus A350-900 completed its maiden test flight on August 6, taking off from Airbus’s final assembly line in Toulouse under the temporary registration F-WZHI. The aircraft is scheduled for delivery in early October, when it will officially join the fleet with the Swiss registration HB-IFA.

The A350 is part of an initial order for five aircraft placed in 2022. However, SWISS expanded its commitment at the end of 2023, doubling the order to ten A350-900s as part of its long-haul fleet modernization program.

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