With this fleet expansion, Edelweiss is strengthening its position at the Zurich hub and entering the Airbus A320neo, the successor model to the Airbus A320.

‘I am delighted that Edelweiss is continuing to develop on short- and medium-haul routes and that we are taking an important step towards modernising our short-haul fleet with the first Airbus A320neo. The aircraft combines state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly technology with greater comfort for our guests,’ says Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss.

The Airbus A320neo consumes at least 15 per cent less fuel than its predecessor, reduces emissions and is significantly quieter. These advantages not only improve the environmental balance, but also create additional opportunities for use on longer routes. 

On Saturday evening, the first aircraft with the modernized Edelweiss livery landed in Zurich. The Airbus A320, registration HB-JJL, was repainted in Norwich, UK. After arriving in Zurich, the aircraft will be used on Edelweiss' short- and medium-haul routes.

Harmonization of the appearance of the entire Edelweiss fleet
To mark the introduction of the new Airbus A350s, Edelweiss is modernizing the appearance of its entire fleet. While the six future Airbus A350s are already being introduced with the new livery, the entire Airbus A320 fleet will also gradually receive the revised design. The repainting of Edelweiss's Airbus A320 fleet will take place as part of the regular maintenance cycles and will extend over the next few years.

Modernized design with recognition value
Both the distinctive red nose and the Edelweiss flower remain in the updated design. The signature Edelweiss flower remains as a logo on the tail fin, but appears with finer contours and a modernized design. The red color now extends further across the fuselage, while the curved lines on the nose round off the design. These elements create a dynamic and elegant look that further strengthens Edelweiss's recognition as a leading Swiss leisure airline.

Edelweiss's short- and medium-haul fleet has welcomed an Airbus A320. The 14th aircraft in this fleet, registered HB-JLP, was ceremoniously christened Elm on Monday morning, March 4. The traditional naming ceremony was performed by Vreni Schneider, former ski racer and Swiss Sportswoman of the Century, and Markus Gander, Chief Product Officer of Edelweiss. Representatives of Sportbahnen Elm and VISIT Glarnerland attended. The ceremony featured musical accompaniment from the Chlytal Jodelchörli.

"I'm extremely pleased that with the Elm holiday region, we've found another sponsor region in Switzerland where the rare edelweiss actually blooms. We're especially pleased that we were able to find a godmother in Vreni Schneider, who is still a role model for many athletes far beyond our borders," says Markus Gander. In general, Glarus seems to offer fertile ground for the edelweiss. After Braunwald, Elm is the second Airbus A320 to bear a name from this canton.

Jasmin Schläpfer, Product Manager for Elm at VISIT Glarnerland, is equally delighted. "Many unforgettable events and experiences await you in the Elm holiday region. Once here, you won't want to leave. Actually, this slogan could also be appropriate for Edelweiss, with its many holiday paradise destinations. With this aircraft, we're bringing our holiday region practically all over the world."

As a symbol of the partnership, representatives from the Elm holiday region are placing an Edelweiss wooden bench in the shape of an airplane seat. On this bench, passersby can enjoy the most beautiful views and dream of their next vacation. Almost like being on an airplane.

Edelweiss is expanding its fleet with another Airbus A320 aircraft. The aircraft, registered HB-JLP, will be acquired from sister company SWISS and will operate short- and medium-haul flights from Zurich starting in summer 2024.

With the additional Airbus A320, Edelweiss will operate a fleet of 19 aircraft from Zurich next year (14 Airbus A320s and 5 Airbus A340s).

It has become a tradition for Edelweiss to christen its aircraft with a ceremony at Zurich Airport. This aircraft christening, however, was unlike any other, as it took place in front of a large crowd during the airport festival "75 Years of Zurich Airport."

True to the motto "where Edelweiss is at home," Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss, and Caroline Ganz de Meyer, Ollon municipal councilor, ceremoniously christened the Airbus A320, registration HB-JLR, with the name Villars-sur-Ollon on Friday afternoon, September 1st. Representatives from politics, tourism, and sports from the region attended the ceremony. The alphorn duo "Cors des Alpes" provided the musical accompaniment.

"We are proud to be representing a region of western Switzerland with this aircraft for the third time. In addition to Sorebois in Valais and Glacier 3000, which is at least half located in Vaud, this time Villars-sur-Ollon," says a delighted Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss.

For Sergeï Aschwanden, Director of Villars Loisirs et Tourisme SA, it's "a wonderful opportunity to bring the Vaudois Alps closer to guests from near and far. Our diverse offerings in the region offer just as much variety as the many Edelweiss destinations."

As a symbol of the partnership, the region is placing an Edelweiss wooden bench in the shape of an airplane seat, where passersby can enjoy the most beautiful views and dream of their next vacation. Almost like being on an airplane.

Edelweiss is expanding its fleet with another Airbus A320 aircraft. The aircraft will be acquired from its sister company SWISS and will be used for short- and medium-haul flights from Zurich starting in April 2023.

With the additional Airbus A320, Edelweiss will operate a fleet of 18 aircraft from Zurich next year (13 Airbus A320s and 5 Airbus A340s).

For five years, Edelweiss has been committed to ensuring that children far from beautiful Switzerland have a future, even if they don't have the best of luck. It enables children in Sri Lanka, South Africa, or Vietnam to attend kindergarten or school. And it ensures that the children receive a warm meal or even a new home. Edelweiss has been doing this for five years together with help alliance, the aid organization of the Lufthansa Group, and its employees.

In honor of these five years, the Edelweiss Airbus A320, registered HB-JLT, is sporting a unique help alliance livery featuring countless hands. It is the first aircraft of a Lufthansa Group airline to fly with this dedicated livery.

HB-JLT named "Madrisa"
True to the motto "Where Edelweiss is at home," Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss, Andrea Pernkopf, Managing Director of help alliance, and Veit de Maddalena, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Klosters-Madrisa Bergbahnen AG, ceremoniously christened the HB-JLT Madrisa on Wednesday afternoon, September 14. Klosters-Madrisa is one of the regions where the queen of alpine flowers is native.

Fundraising campaign launched
Andrea Pernkopf, Managing Director of help alliance, was particularly pleased about this christening. At the same time, she also launched a fundraising campaign for help alliance. "It's incredibly impressive how much can be achieved with relatively little money," said Andrea Pernkopf. "For CHF 100, for example, a trainer in Vietnam can visit a school to specifically support the development of children with autism. For CHF 500, around 200 children in South Africa can receive lunch and drinks. And for CHF 1,000, a playground at a preschool in Sri Lanka can be equipped with new play equipment."

Andrea Pernkopf continued: "Every franc goes directly to the projects. Together with competent local partners, we take responsibility for ensuring that the project work has a positive impact on the beneficiaries and contributes to sustainable development."

Information about help alliance
help alliance is the aid organization of the Lufthansa Group and its employees. This non-profit limited liability company currently brings together more than 50 projects worldwide under its umbrella. These projects are primarily designed to provide young people with access to education and empower them to lead self-determined lives. In addition to its focus on education, help alliance promotes entrepreneurship. In recent years, it has supported around 150 projects. All project content is aligned with the strict standards of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and, in particular, the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of "Quality Education" (SDG 4) and "Decent Work and Economic Growth" (SDG 8). The projects are financed exclusively through donations.

Information about Madrisa
The Madrisa is a mountain region near Klosters, featuring the Madrisahorn at 2,826 m above sea level and a sunny plateau at 1,887 m with stunning panoramic views (220°) of the Alpine landscape. Here are the main attractions, the Madrisa-Hof and the Madrisa-Alp restaurant, both offering a diverse range of dining and event options, as well as Madrisa-Land (play facilities for children and families) and an extensive skiing and hiking infrastructure. This gourmet mountain in Davos Klosters welcomes its guests with great warmth and high-quality cuisine. The modern adventure infrastructure in a family atmosphere offers unforgettable moments for all generations in both summer and winter.

Links to pictures and further information
Collaboration between Edelweiss and help alliance

Website of Klosters-Madrisa Bergbahnen AG

Website of help alliance

Edelweiss, Switzerland's leading leisure airline, is naming its aircraft after Swiss regions where the queen of the Alpine flowers grows, in keeping with the motto "Where Edelweiss is at home." This afternoon, the Airbus A320, registration HB-JLS, was christened "Oberalp" at Zurich Airport in the presence of political and tourism representatives from Andermatt and Sedrun.

"We are delighted that the cantons of Uri and Graubünden are represented on one of our aircraft with the Oberalp. From now on, we will be bringing this diverse tourism region to the wider world," says Patrick Heymann, Chief Commercial Officer of Edelweiss.

For Thomas Christen, Director of Andermatt-Urserntal Tourism, the collaboration with Edelweiss is a perfect fit: "We, too, offer our guests relaxing holidays with countless options for nature lovers, culture vultures, sports enthusiasts, and families. Our region offers almost limitless diversity in both summer and winter—and, last but not least, a wonderful habitat for the alpine flower, the edelweiss."

As a symbol of the partnership, the region will receive an Edelweiss wooden bench in the shape of an airplane seat, where passersby can enjoy the most beautiful views and dream of their next vacation. Almost like being on an airplane.

This afternoon, 24 third- and fourth-grade students from the Ursern District School in Andermatt were welcomed as special guests at Zurich Airport. Not only were they able to attend the christening ceremony as exclusive guests, but they also received the new Edelweiss children's toys as a souvenir of this special day.

New children's toys: puzzle book, colored pencils, sports bag and plush marmot Giancarlo
The youngest Edelweiss guests receive a variety of age-appropriate toys. The puzzle book contains fun and games, coloring pages, puzzles, and two detachable postcards. The content is tailored to the two age categories 3+ and 7+. Along with the puzzle book, the children also receive colored pencils in a cardboard box.

The gym bags are now available in three different designs. Children can choose their favorite motif.

For our youngest guests, the plush marmot and Edelweiss mascot Giancarlo has been added to the range.

When selecting the products, Edelweiss took care to use sustainable materials. The new toys will be given to children free of charge on all Edelweiss flights starting immediately.

The newest addition to the Edelweiss fleet features an unusual design. The familiar red nose and the red background on the tail fin have been replaced by countless red hands. They symbolize the helping hands of the Lufthansa Group aid organization help alliance and Edelweiss. The two organizations have maintained a close partnership for five years: "Help alliance and Edelweiss have jointly supported social projects at Edelweiss holiday destinations. Through our joint commitment, we have been able to provide a better life for young people in Costa Rica, Vietnam, South Africa, and Sri Lanka in particular through various projects in recent years," says Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss.

The Edelweiss Airbus A320 HB-JLT is the first aircraft from a Lufthansa Group airline to fly with a dedicated livery in conjunction with the help alliance. "The aircraft is intended to draw attention to our global social commitment and contribute to raising the profile of our non-profit organization. The future of young people living in poverty is our most important goal," says Andrea Pernkopf, Managing Director of the help alliance.

HB-JLT is christened "Madrisa"
For six years, Switzerland's leading leisure airline has been naming its aircraft after regions where the queen of alpine flowers is native, in keeping with the motto "Where Edelweiss is at home." The aircraft, christened "Madrisa," is already the third aircraft to be named after a region in the canton of Graubünden.

Roger Kunz, Delegate of the Board of Directors of Klosters-Madrisa Bergbahnen AG, is delighted that his region is being promoted to the world: "We have a wonderful habitat for the alpine flower, the edelweiss, and we also offer our guests relaxation, a unique experience, and warm hospitality. This makes the collaboration a perfect fit." The official christening of the HB-JLT will take place at a later date.

The aircraft will now fly to all Edelweiss short- and medium-haul holiday destinations. Another aircraft of the same type will join Edelweiss in the coming days; this one will, however, feature the usual livery. Edelweiss now has 12 Airbus A320s in its fleet.

Information about help alliance
help alliance is the aid organization of the Lufthansa Group. This non-profit limited liability company currently brings together more than 50 projects worldwide under its umbrella. These projects are primarily designed to provide young people with access to education and empower them to lead independent lives. In addition to its focus on education, help alliance promotes entrepreneurship. In recent years, it has supported around 150 projects. All project content is aligned with the strict standards of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and, in particular, the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of "Quality Education" (SDG 4) and "Decent Work and Economic Growth" (SDG 8). The projects are financed exclusively through donations.

Information about Madrisa
The Madrisa is a mountain region near Klosters, featuring the Madrisahorn at 2,826 m above sea level and a sunny plateau at 1,887 m with stunning panoramic views (220°) of the Alpine landscape. Here, the main attractions are the Madrisa-Hof and the Madrisa-Alp restaurant, both offering a diverse range of dining and event options, as well as Madrisa-Land (play facilities for children and families) and extensive skiing and hiking facilities.

The gourmet mountain in Davos Klosters welcomes its guests with great warmth and high-quality cuisine. The modern adventure infrastructure in a family-friendly atmosphere offers unforgettable experiences for all generations, both summer and winter.

Links
Information about the cooperation between Edelweiss and help alliance

Klosters-Madrisa Mountain Railways AG

help alliance

Edelweiss, Switzerland's leading leisure airline, is expanding its fleet and will operate another Airbus A320 short-haul aircraft starting in spring 2019. The additional aircraft will be used to further expand the Edelweiss flight program and also serve as an operational reserve to further increase schedule stability. With this addition, the Edelweiss fleet consists of 16 aircraft (10 Airbus A320s, two Airbus A330s, and four Airbus A340s).

More offers to Norway and Greece in summer 2019
Edelweiss now offers scheduled flights to Tromsø (Norway). Until now, this holiday destination was served exclusively as a full charter flight in winter. This destination will also be offered as a direct flight every Saturday in July and August next summer. The flights can be booked now at flyedelweiss.com. In summer 2019, the service to Greece will also be expanded. In cooperation with TUI Suisse, Edelweiss will now fly once a week to Araxos (Patras) in the northern Peloponnese in July and August. The flights can be booked exclusively through TUI Suisse. This brings the Edelweiss route network to 71 holiday destinations.

Edelweiss, Switzerland's leading leisure airline, will expand its short- and medium-haul fleet by three Airbus A320 aircraft next year. This will bring Edelweiss' total fleet to 15 aircraft by the end of 2018.

As announced a few months ago, Edelweiss will offer eight new short- and medium-haul holiday destinations next year. Edelweiss CEO Bernd Bauer is pleased with the newly announced fleet expansion: "With these three additional aircraft, we can implement our plans with our own aircraft and even offer more frequencies to the most important holiday destinations. For example, we will then be able to offer daily connections to Las Palmas, Tenerife, and Palma de Mallorca."

Two aircraft will be in service with Edelweiss starting in April 2018, and one in June 2018. The aircraft are leased from the parent company Lufthansa Group and the leasing company Macquarie.

Staff expansion thanks to new aircraft
The fleet expansion also means an increase in personnel for Edelweiss: "In order to operate the additional three Airbus A320s, we need new colleagues in our company and will create 81 new positions in Switzerland. We are looking for 27 pilots and 54 cabin crew members to operate the additional aircraft," Bauer continued.

As previously communicated, two additional A340 long-haul aircraft will join Edelweiss over the course of next year, meaning the fleet will total 15 aircraft by the end of 2018 – nine Airbus A320s, two Airbus A330s, and four Airbus A340s.

"Braunwald" and "Schatzalp" are now flying through lofty heights to the world's most beautiful destinations. Leading leisure airline Edelweiss has christened two of its aircraft. Since this morning, they bear the names of Swiss holiday regions.

Two names are better than one – that's what leading holiday airline Edelweiss thought, and today, February 9, it named two of its aircraft after the Swiss holiday regions of Braunwald and Schatzalp. With this, the airline continues its naming concept "Where Edelweiss is at home."

Tradition meets adventure
Both Braunwald and Schatzalp are home to the queen of alpine flowers. The latter boasts the world's largest collection of the plant in its botanical garden. "That's why we're particularly pleased to be working with Edelweiss," says Mark Linder, director of the Schatzalp Hotel. "By flying in, we're one more Edelweiss richer." Fridolin Hösli, managing director of Braunwald-Klausenpass Tourismus AG, also welcomes the new connection: "Edelweiss and Braunwald represent Switzerland's rich traditions and a thirst for adventure."

Schatzalp and Braunwald had already prepared the traditional part: women in traditional costume and Trychler entertained with plenty of Swissness during the baptism. The adventures can now be experienced in the exciting holiday regions that Braunwald and Schatzalp will now serve. After all, Edelweiss is at home all over the world.

Edelweiss' aircraft will feature a new design in the future. The new look supports the growth trajectory of the leading Swiss leisure airline and underscores Edelweiss' heritage. In addition to the new aircraft design, Edelweiss will modernize the interior of its entire Airbus A320 fleet and install a wireless in-flight entertainment system.

Edelweiss' aircraft are appearing in a new livery just in time for their 20th anniversary. The current livery has remained unchanged since the company's founding. Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss, said: "We are proud of our past success and will carry it into the future. Our new aircraft design is deliberately an evolution, not a revolution." Familiar details like the red nose will remain on the aircraft.

The most striking change is the greatly enlarged edelweiss flower on the tail fin and the addition of "Switzerland" on the aircraft: "We want to clearly express our Swiss origins. We connect the most beautiful holiday destinations with Switzerland and inspire with Swiss quality. This should also be evident on our aircraft," Bauer continued. The first Airbus A320 with the new design will be flying on the Edelweiss route network from the end of November 2015.

Wireless Inflight Entertainment System on the entire Airbus A320 fleet
In the coming months, Edelweiss will also remodel all six of its Airbus A320s. The aircraft will be given a new cabin, which will heighten the anticipation of your vacation even upon boarding. The new seats appear lighter and offer more comfort and legroom.

At the same time, a wireless in-flight entertainment system will be installed on the Airbus A320 fleet. This will allow passengers to access a wide range of entertainment options via Wi-Fi using their personal laptop, tablet, or smartphone. The offerings range from films, documentaries, TV series, and music channels to a digital reading library.

Edelweiss will fly to Mauritius again from the 2016/17 winter schedule
In addition to the new aircraft design, the fresh interior, and the modern wireless in-flight entertainment system, Edelweiss is announcing a new holiday destination. Starting in fall 2016, Edelweiss will fly twice a week non-stop to the dream island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Flights to Mauritius will be available for booking starting in January 2016.

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.

The renowned Swiss artist Rolf Knie has once again painted a picture for the newest member of the Edelweiss fleet—the fifth A320 (HB-IJW). It's an eagle, the eighth animal Rolf Knie has painted for Edelweiss aircraft.

The eagle is depicted on the front of the aircraft and bears the name Shayan, which means "the meritorious one" in Arabic. This name was suggested and selected by the Edelweiss Facebook community (currently 23,700 members).

HB-IJW is the fifth aircraft in the Edelweiss Airbus A320 family and will fly for the first time on April 5th. Its first flight will be to the popular holiday destination of Tenerife. To celebrate this maiden flight, all passengers will receive a champagne breakfast.

Together with the Airbus A330-200 and the Airbus A330-300, Edelweiss' fleet grows to seven aircraft, serving a total of 43 destinations in 22 countries.