Adria Airways Switzerland secures ACMI deal

GLOBAL AVIATION NEWS

Swiss cuts staff, fleet

Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) is cutting hundreds of jobs and downsizing its fleets as the company struggles to weather the disruption of Covid-19. Up to 780 employees, including pilots, cabin crew, ground crew, and technicians, could be affected by the layoffs, Swiss announced. The company’s fleet of short and medium haul planes will be reduced by ten to 59, and long haul aircraft by five to 26 - a total reduction of 15% of fleet size compared to 2019. As a result, short and medium haul flights are “likely to be reduced from their 2019 levels, while services may not yet be restored at all on a few direct intercontinental routes”, the airline wrote in a statement. Swiss had already reported plummeting finances and had hinted at reducing up to 1.000 staff, but without layoffs. The Covid-19 pandemic, which brought international travel to a halt in 2020, has been a disaster for the airline. Now, however, the company cites “structural” changes in the airline market which it reckons will result in a decline of 20% in overall demand in the medium-term future. “It has grown increasingly clear that our market is undergoing structural change, and that despite the actions which we were swift to take in response [to the pandemic], a restructuring of our company now sadly seems unavoidable” Swiss CEO, Dieter Vranckx, said in a statement. Vranckx, who replaced former CEO Thomas Kluhr at the end of last year, said the new measures aim to make savings of some $550 million, which would allow the company to “repay our bank loans as promptly as possible and to sustainably retain our competitive credentials and regain our ability to invest”. Swiss said none of the measures would have an impact on its obligations under the terms of a government-backed financial aid package made just over a year ago, when the country’s airline sector was supported with almost 2 billion Swiss francs in liquidity.
Source: Swissinfo

Adria Airways Switzerland secures ACMI deal

NEWS FLASH

Adria Airways' Swiss subsidiary, Adria Airways Switzerland, has secured a contract with start-up PowdAir for the 2017/18 winter season. Starting this December, Adria Switzerland aircraft and crew will fly twice daily from Sion Airport in the Valais region of Switzerland to London City Airport, as well as three times daily to Zurich. Christian Schneider, Adria Airways Switzerland's Chief Commercial Officer, said, “We are very pleased to be the partner for PowdAir on their new routes from Sion to London City as well as Zurich. As a highly experienced Swiss regional carrier, we are delighted to start the cooperation and to see our new brand Adria Airways Switzerland in partnership with PowdAir”. Adria Airways purchased Etihad Regional through its Swiss subsidiary last month. Its CEO said the carrier wants to strengthen its ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance lease) business. Earlier this year, PowdAir also concluded a contract with Croatian charter carrier Trade Air.

Comments

Anonymous12:29
Interesting. And what about Lugano?
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Anonymous12:46
And the flight's gonna be marketed as Powdair by Adria Airways Switzerland operated by Darwin Airline? :)
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Anonymous13:04
Quite a long way to go in Saab or ATR though. Not very in keeping with the LCY pax demographic. The UK has had many problems with virtual airlines like "Powdair" misleading pax over what they've actually bought.

Please note: this isn't criticism over Adria or Darwin, just the fact that they could be caught up in negative press when ski holiday-goers find out they're going to Switzerland on a turboprop.
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