Airlines Swiss and Helvetic Airways expand collaboration

Over the course of the expanded agreements, Swiss will integrate up to eight Helvetic Airways Embraer E190-E2 aircraft or similar equipment in its route network. This will be happening under a wet-lease starting in 2019. Wet lease means, that Helvetic will provide the lease-in of the aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance, while the flights will be operated under a Swiss callsign and flight number.

Swiss said, that the expanded collaboration further reconfirms, that Helvetic Airways is offering high-quality services. The joint agreement will also provide greater planning security that will allow an optimum of Helvetic Airways´ fleet utilization.

SWISS CEO Thomas Klühr said: “We are very pleased to be expanding our proven and long-standing partnership with Helvetic Airways.”

Tobias Pogorevc, CEO of Helvetic Airways added: “We are proud that SWISS is putting its faith in our company and our efficient and comfortable Embraer E190-E2 aircraft.”

Currently, four Embraer E190 of Helvetic Airways are performing wet-lease flights for Swiss. The aircraft are being deployed to over 40 European destinations.

During an Embraer E2 visit to Zurich in September 2018, Helvetic Airways officially firmed up its order for 12 E190-E2 jets with options to order 12 more. The initial agreements between Embraer and Helvetic were announced during the Farnborough International Air Show this July.

The state-of-the-art E2 jets will replace five aging Fokker 100s and seven E190s. Deliveries will start in late 2019 and will be completed in autumn 2021. Helvetic hopes to establish the E2 as its new regional backbone for European destinations.
Helvetic Airways is a Swiss airline headquartered in Zürich. The carrier was founded in 2003 and employs about 400 people. Helvetic operates flights to European business routes, as well as to leisure destinations like Rhodes, Larnaca or Olbia.

Swiss International Air Lines is the national airline of Switzerland and member of the Lufthansa Group. The carrier operates with a fleet of 87 aircraft, including 25 Airbus A220s, five A319s, 19 A320s, nine A321s, 14 A330s, five A340s and 10 Boeing B777s. Swiss is member of the Star Alliance and main operational hub is at Zürich.