Edelweiss expands fleet

Edelweiss, Switzerland's leading leisure airline, is expanding its fleet over the next few years and will operate three additional long-haul Airbus A340s and one medium-haul Airbus A320. This will increase the fleet to 12 aircraft by 2018.

The three long-haul aircraft will be transferred from sister company Swiss International Air Lines to the Edelweiss fleet in phases between 2017 and 2018. "The Airbus A340 is an ideal fit for our fleet in terms of passenger capacity and range. This expansion is a milestone in our company's history," said Edelweiss CEO Bernd Bauer.

The aircraft cabin will be completely redesigned to offer Economy, Economy Max, and Business Class passengers the familiar Edelweiss comfort.

The additional medium-haul Airbus A320 aircraft will be deployed on Edelweiss' route network starting in November 2015.

Creation of new jobs and a long-term investment in Switzerland as a business location
With the commissioning of the previously announced new Airbus A330 (which will join the fleet in spring 2016), the Airbus A320 and the three Airbus A340s, Edelweiss' fleet will grow to a total of 12 aircraft.

"Our plans represent a major investment and a commitment to Switzerland as a business location. Edelweiss will grow significantly with the expansion of its aircraft fleet and create over 350 new jobs in the coming years," Bernd Bauer continued.

Densification and expansion of the route network
The expansion of its aircraft fleet will allow Edelweiss to fly existing routes more frequently in the future and serve new, emerging holiday markets non-stop. A few weeks ago, it was announced that Edelweiss will be adding Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Calgary, Canada, to its route network starting in spring 2016.

New holiday destinations and the exact cabin layout of the Airbus A340 will be announced at a later date.