Category Archives: Helvetic Airways

Swiss adds Ljubljana to its route network

Swiss International Air Lines has made this announcement:

From October 16, 2019 onwards, Swiss will be offering a new service to the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana, departing from its hub at Zurich Airport. There will be five connections a week initially, with a daily flight from October 27, 2019.

The new route will initially be operated by Helvetic Airways. With the rollout of the winter schedule on October 27, 2019 Swiss will fly to the new destination once a day from Zurich on an alternate basis with its wet lease partner, Helvetic Airways.

Prior to discontinuation of flight operations by Adria Airways, Swiss passengers were able to travel to from Zurich to Ljubljana thanks to a codeshare agreement.

The new flights will ensure a continuing connection.

Helvetic Airways sells its fleet of Fokker 100 aircraft

Helvetic Airways has announced the sale of its remaining fleet of Fokker 100 aircraft and the entirety of Helvetic’s spare engines, spare parts and tooling to Alliance Aviation Services Limited, of Australia, the world’s largest operator of Fokker aircraft.

Following the negotiations conducted in recent weeks, the conclusion of the sale puts a final end to the phasing-out project of the Fokker fleet of the Swiss company.

Helvetic Airways currently now operates a standardized fleet of eleven Embraer E190-E1 aircraft.

From this autumn onwards, these will be supplemented by the first of twelve new Embraer E190-E2s.

As previously reported, the airline operated its last Fokker 100 revenue flight on June 14, 2019 with HB-JVG.

Top Copyright Photo: Helvetic Airways Fokker F.28 Mk. 0100 HB-JVG (msn 11478) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 907302.

Helvetic aircraft slide show:

Helvetic Airways retires its last Fokker 100

Helvetic Airways made this announcement:

After more than 15 years of service with the type, Helvetic Airways officially withdrew its last Fokker 100 on June 14. Just prior to its withdrawal, aircraft HB-JVG performed an exclusive scenic flight around Switzerland before making its final landing at Zurich Airport in Helvetic service.

Following some commemorative activities at the departure gate, special flight 2L 100 departed for its farewell tour of Switzerland carrying several media representatives, Helvetic Airways employees and selected guests.

On landing, the aircraft was also treated to a water salute by the airport fire service.

Photos: Nicolas Bruni / Tis Meyer

Swiss and Helvetic Airways expand their collaboration

Swiss International Air Lines is to expand its partnership with Helvetic Airways, and will deploy up to eight Helvetic Airways Embraer E190-E2 aircraft (above) or similar equipment on its route network from 2019 onwards under wet-lease (i.e. the lease-in of aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) arrangements.

The expanded collaboration reconfirms the high quality of Helvetic Airways’ services and its premium partner credentials. It will also provide greater planning security and ensure the optimum utilization of the Helvetic Airways fleet.

Four Embraer E190s of Helvetic Airways are currently in service for Swiss. The aircraft are deployed on Swiss flights to over 40 European destinations.

Helvetic Airways AG currently operates a fleet of seven Embraer E190 and five Fokker 100 aircraft. The latter will be withdrawn next year and replaced with further Embraer equipment. The new Embraer E190-E2 aircraft will enter service from September 2019 onwards. Four of the company’s Embraer E190s are presently operated on behalf of Swiss International Air Lines under a long-term ACMI lease agreement. The remaining aircraft in the Helvetic Airways fleet are operated under other ACMI leases or perform the company’s own scheduled and charter flights.

All photos by Helvetic Airways).

Helvetic Airways firms up its order for 12 Embraer E190-E2 jets

Embraer and Helvetic Airways have signed a contract for a firm order of 12 E190-E2 jets.

This agreement was announced as a Letter of Intent (LOI) at the recent Farnborough Air Show, in July.

The firm order has a value of $730 million, based on current list prices, and will be included in Embraer’s 2018 third-quarter backlog. The contract also includes purchase rights for a further 12 E190-E2, with conversion rights to the E195-E2, bringing the total potential order up to 24 E-Jets E2s.

With all the purchase rights being exercised, the deal has a list price of $1.5 billion. The announcement was made by the two companies during the Zurich debut of the E190-E2, the world’s most efficient and quietest single-aisle aircraft, as part of its tour of Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

The first 12 E190-E2 aircraft will begin replacing Helvetic’s five Fokker 100s and seven E190s, starting in late 2019 and completing in autumn 2021.

The purchase options for a further 12 aircraft (E190-E2 or E195-E2) will enable Helvetic Airways to grow according to market opportunities. Embraer is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial jets up to 150 seats. The Company has 100 customers from all over the world operating the ERJ and E-Jet families of aircraft. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged more than 1,800 orders and 1,400 deliveries, redefining the traditional concept of regional aircraft.

Image: Embraer.

Embraer, Helvetic Airways sign Letter of Intent for up to 24 E2s

Embraer announced today at the Farnborough Air Show that Zurich based Helvetic Airways has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for 12 E190-E2 and purchase rights for a further 12, with conversion rights to the E195-E2. If all purchase rights are exercised, the deal has a list price of USD 1.5 billion. The order will be included in Embraer’s backlog as soon as it becomes firm, which will happen in the coming months.

The first 12 E190-E2 aircraft will begin replacing Helvetic’s five Fokker 100s and seven E190s, starting in late 2019 and completing in autumn 2021. The purchase options for a further 12 aircraft (E190-E2 or E195-E2) will enable Helvetic Airways to grow according to market opportunities.

Helvetic’s plans to operate to London City Airport in the future received a further boost last week (13th July) when the E2 made its debut at the airport located in the city of London.

Image: Embraer.

Helvetic Airways starts operating two Fokker 100s from Munich for Lufthansa

Helvetic Airways started operating two Fokker 100s (HB-JVF and HB-JVG above) today (March 25) with the start of the summer schedule for Lufthansa at the Munich hub. The wet leases will be for the summer season.

Helvetic Airways aircraft slide show:

Helvetic Airways details its planned expansion with seven leased Embraer 190s

Helvetic Airways (Zurich) as we previously reported, is adding seven Embraer ERJ 190s. The airline has now detailed its expansion plans:

Helvetic Airways currently operates six Fokker 100s and one Airbus 319-100.

Recently, the airline concluded long-term leases with the Airfleet Credit Corporation for seven Embraer 190s. It is planned to put the Embraer 190s into operation between December 2014 and June 2015.

The business model envisages that four Fokker 100s and four Embraer 190s will be in service, in the long term, for Swiss International Air Lines, as part of a wet lease agreement. The other aircraft (2 Fokker 100s, 1 Airbus A319, 3 Embraer 190s) are used for the scheduled and charter services of Helvetic Airways AG.

In connection with the business expansion, the number of staff at Helvetic Airways AG will be increased to more than 350 employees. At the same time, the equity base will be strengthened via an increase in the share capital by 10 million Swiss francs.

With the 2015 schedules for Zürich and Bern, the primary intention is to consolidate Helvetic’s current scheduled destinations.

The additional capacity in the charter business will be absorbed by the current partners.

Photo: Helvetic Airways. The first Embraer ERJ 190 has arrived in Zurich. The pictured ERJ 190-100LR OE-IHD (msn 19000354) was delivered on December 18 as HB-JVL.

Helvetic Airways aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-2/Airlines-Europe-2/Helvetic-Airways

Helvetic Airways to lease the seven Niki Embraer 190s

Helvetic Airways (Zurich) is planning to lease the seven 112-seat Niki (flyniki.com) (Vienna) Embrear ERJ 190-100LRs from lessor Bernina Aircraft Leasing which acquired the aircraft according to ch-aviation. This will be a new type for the carrier. The first four will be operated by Helvetic for Swiss replacing four Swiss European Air Lines RJ100s. The other three will be operated by Helvetic on expansion routes.

Helvetic will operate the following routes for Swiss using the new Embraer 190s starting late this month:

Zurich to Dusseldorf, Prague and Warsaw starting on December 22.

Zurich to Belgrade starting on January 3, 2015 per Airline Route.

Niki is retiring the Embraer 190 from its fleet.

In other related news, the company has announced new services next summer season to Olbia (from Bern), Brindisi (from Bern), Bordeaux (from Zurich), Calvi (from Zurich), Lamezia Terme (from Zurich), Shannon (from Zurich), Palma de Mallorca (from Bern/Zurich), Greek Islands (from Bern/Zurich) and the Canary Islands (from Zurich).

Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 190-100LR OE-IXG (msn 19000435) at Zurich will soon transition to Zurich-based Helvetic Airways.

Helvetic Airways aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-2/Airlines-Europe-2/Helvetic-Airways

Swiss European grounds four BAe RJ100s, will lease four Embraer 190s

Swiss European Air Lines (subsidiary of Swiss International Air Lines) (Zurich) has parked four BAe (Avro) RJ100s due to their high operating costs, maintenance issues and recent incidents according to Aero Telegraph. According to the report, four Embraer 190s will replace the grounded aircraft starting in either December 2014 or January 2015. The aircraft will be leased from Helvetic Airways (Zurich).

Read the full article (in German): CLICK HERE

The ACMI cooperation between Swiss International Air Lines and Helvetic Airways has been in existence since 2006. Helvetic has been operating a total of 4 Fokker 100s until spring 2017.

Swiss European: