Helvetic Airways
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| Founded | 2003 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AOC # | CH.AOC.1033[2] | ||||||
| Hubs | |||||||
| Fleet size | 16 | ||||||
| Destinations | 34 | ||||||
| Parent company | Helvetic Airways AG | ||||||
| Headquarters | Kloten, Switzerland | ||||||
| Key people | Bruno Jans, CEO Tobias Pogorevc, CFO | ||||||
| Employees | About 400[3] | ||||||
| Website | helvetic.com | ||||||
Helvetic Airways is a Swiss regional airline headquartered in Kloten with its fleet stationed at Zurich Airport.[4] It operates flights to destinations in Europe and Northern Africa, mainly leisure markets, on its own behalf,[5] as well as scheduled flights on behalf of Swiss International Air Lines and Lufthansa,[6] using their fleet of Embraer 190s and Embraer 190-E2s.
History
Helvetic Airways was established in the autumn of 2003, as a rebranding and extension of the existing airline Odette Airways, to serve destinations in South-Eastern Europe. Switzerland's first budget carrier began operating in November, with a Fokker 100 flying to three destinations. By 2004, the fleet had grown to seven aircraft.
In December 2006, the carrier unveiled a new look for its aircraft. Since then, all the Fokker 100s have livery in red-white-silver grey colours, with the Swiss cross on the tailfin.
In October 2010, the Swiss news media announced a new base in Bern Airport.[7]
On 18 February 2013, in the 2013 Belgian diamond heist, eight men armed with automatic weapons and dressed in police uniforms seized 120 small parcels, containing an estimated $50 million (£32,000,000) worth of diamonds from a Helvetic Airways Fokker 100 passenger plane, loaded with passengers preparing for departure to Zurich. The men drove two vehicles through a hole they had cut in the airport's perimeter fence to Flight LX789, which had just been loaded with diamonds from a Brink's armoured van. The men were able to execute the operation within five minutes with no injuries and without firing a shot.[8]
In December 2014,[9] Helvetic Airways began to take over seven Embraer 190s, which were freed by Niki changing their fleet.[10]
Since March 2016, there is a wet lease contract with Lufthansa for the route Zurich-Munich.[11]
In 2018, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) expanded its partnership with Helvetic Airways, announcing that it will deploy up to eight Helvetic Airways Embraer E190-E2 aircraft or similar equipment on its route network, from 2019 onwards.[12]
On 14 June 2019, the last Helvetic Airways Fokker 100 left the fleet.
In October 2019, the carrier took delivery of its first Embraer E190-E2 aircraft.[13]
Destinations
Scheduled destinations as of September 2019:[14] Not included are the routes served for Swiss International Air Lines, as well as Lufthansa on a long-term wet-lease contract.
Fleet
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Current fleet
The Helvetic Airways fleet includes the following aircraft, as of July 2020:[15][16]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embraer 190 | 11 | — | 112 | Operated for Swiss International Air Lines. | |
| Embraer 190-E2 | 5 | 7 | 110 | Order with 12 purchase rights.[17] Deliveries between 2019 and 2021. | |
| Embraer 195-E2 | — | 4 | 134 | Converted from E190-E2 order.[18] | |
| Total | 16 | 11 | |||
Historic fleet
References
- ^ "IATA - Airline and Airport Code Search". iata.org. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
- ^ "List of AOC Holders with Complex Airplanes" (PDF). Federal Office of Civil Aviation. 28 March 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 April 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- ^ "Information of Helvetic Airways Group". helvetic.com. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ "Imprint Archived 29 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine." Helvetic Airways. Retrieved on 6 November 2009. "Helvetic Airways AG P.O. Box 250 CH-8058 Zurich Airport"
- ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 3 April 2007. p. 90.
- ^ http://abouttravel.ch/reisebranche/transport-luft-land/helvetic-airways-fliegt-fur-lufthansa/
- ^ "2011 startet Helvetic auch von Bern-Belp aus".
- ^ Higgins, Andrew (18 February 2013). "Brazen Jewel Robbery at Brussels Airport Nets $50 Million in Diamonds". New York Times. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
- ^ "Helvetic Airways - Fleet information of E-190". www.helvetic.com. Helvetic Airways AG. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
- ^ INSIDE, TRAVEL. "Helvetic Airways fliegt für Lufthansa | aboutTravel". abouttravel.ch. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
- ^ "SWISS and Helvetic Airways Expand their Collaboration". Airline Suppliers. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ Nick Wenzel (29 October 2019). "Helvetic Airways takes delivery of its first Embraer E190-E2". International Flight Network. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
- ^ "Flugplan". www.helvetic.com. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
- ^ "Helvetic Airways Flotte - ZRH-Spotter".
- ^ a b "Helvetic Airways Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
- ^ "Embraer lands seven new Regional Jet orders". Ch-Aviation. 17 July 2018.
- ^ "Switzerland's Helvetic Airways upgauges Embraer order". Ch-Aviation. 16 July 2020.
- ^ "About Travel (in German)". www.abouttravel.ch. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
- ^ "Helvetic Airways Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
External links
Media related to Helvetic Airways at Wikimedia Commons
- Official site (in English)
- Official site (in German)
