Edelweiss's long-haul fleet has welcomed an Airbus A340. The fifth aircraft in this fleet, registered HB-JMC, was ceremoniously christened "Flumserberg" on Monday morning, October 23rd. Maite Nadig, former ski racer and double Olympic champion, and David Birrer, Chief Operating Officer of Edelweiss, performed the traditional christening ceremony in the presence of representatives of Bergbahnen Flumserberg AG. Brass players from the St. Gallen Symphony Orchestra provided musical accompaniment for the celebrations. And for good reason, because in summer 2024, the St. Gallen Festival will be held on Flumserberg for the first time.

"Finding a sponsoring region in Switzerland where the rare edelweiss actually blooms is becoming increasingly difficult. But we've succeeded again and are delighted that the canton of St. Gallen, with its Flumserberg, is now represented in our fleet," says David Birrer.

Mario Bislin, CEO of Bergbahnen Flumserberg AG, sees this partnership as an ideal symbiosis. "Flumserberg is the Swiss holiday paradise par excellence. And with this aircraft, we are carrying the name Flumserberg to the many Edelweiss holiday paradise destinations."

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

The Airbus A340, registered HB-JMC, is part of SWISS's fleet. Planning work is currently underway for the upcoming cabin modifications. The aircraft will be in service with the familiar Edelweiss livery. Edelweiss' long-haul fleet will consist of five Airbus A340s starting in July 2023.

Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss: "I am pleased that we will be able to expand our long-haul fleet again starting in summer 2023. With the additional Airbus A340, we will be able to meet the increasing demand for flights to our long-haul holiday destinations."

In addition to the Airbus A340, Edelweiss currently has twelve Airbus A320s, which are used on short- and medium-haul routes.

Edelweiss, Switzerland's leading leisure airline, will commence scheduled service with its second Airbus A340 tomorrow, Friday, April 14, 2017. This brings the total fleet to ten aircraft. The long-haul aircraft has been completely rebuilt over the past four weeks and offers guests a comfortable start to their vacation.

The Airbus A340-300 HB-JMF was acquired from sister airline SWISS and completely remodeled in recent weeks. Comfortable, next-generation seats make travel even more comfortable, and a new, state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system makes it even more entertaining. In addition to the fresh interior design, the aircraft features the new Edelweiss lighting concept with state-of-the-art LED technology.

The new Airbus A340 allows Edelweiss to fly 314 guests on holiday. The model has 211 seats in Economy, 76 in Economy Max, and 27 in Business Class.

The Edelweiss flagship will take off for the first time tomorrow, Friday, April 14, 2017, at 1:30 p.m. from Zurich to Tampa Bay, Florida.

The ideal aircraft for the new Edelweiss holiday destinations
HB-JMF is the second Airbus A340 that Edelweiss has added to its fleet. With this aircraft, three new destinations will be added to the flight schedule in the coming weeks and months: Cancún, Mexico (from April 16), San José, Costa Rica (from May 9), and San Diego, USA (from June 9).

By the end of 2018, two additional A340 aircraft will join the Edelweiss fleet, further expanding the range of dream destinations in the coming years. The long-haul fleet will then consist of a total of two Airbus A330s and four Airbus A340s.

The fleet of Switzerland's leading leisure airline keeps growing. The latest addition was christened "Melchsee-Frutt" on Thursday, December 1st. The "Melchsee-Frutt" is Edelweiss' first A340 aircraft, specially designed for flights to Edelweiss' new dream destinations. And that's just the beginning – there are countless new features to discover on the aircraft as well.

With alphorn players and trumpeters, the "Melchsee-Frutt" was launched at Zurich Airport on Thursday, December 1st. It is already the fourth Edelweiss aircraft named after Swiss holiday regions where the edelweiss flower grows. And the "Melchsee-Frutt" is the first A340 in the Edelweiss fleet.

"The A340 is the ideal aircraft for Edelweiss in terms of range and capacity," says CEO Bernd Bauer. "With our new flagship, we can reach new holiday destinations that we wouldn't have been able to reach with our previous long-haul aircraft."

For its maiden flight on December 1st, the "Melchsee-Frutt" will depart for Cape Town and will also fly to Phuket over the winter. A second A340 will then join the Edelweiss fleet in the spring. With this acquisition, Edelweiss can expand its existing long-haul network – as San Diego, alongside Costa Rica and Cancun, will be one of Edelweiss' new dream destinations starting in 2017. Two more A340s will follow in 2018.

Fresh interior design and state-of-the-art seats
The cabin of the new Airbus A340 has been completely redesigned and equipped with comfortable, state-of-the-art seats, making travel even more enjoyable. The new Edelweiss interior design evokes a sense of vacation, exuding warmth and comfort. Whether curtains, pillows, blankets, or rugs, the materials are of high quality and crafted with meticulous attention to detail. Natural-looking fabrics and traditional patterns create a sense of home and reinforce Edelweiss' Swiss connection.

However, the new design is truly showcased by the new lighting concept, which also illuminates guests in the best possible light. State-of-the-art LED technology has been installed, which can be programmed to any color and light temperature. This makes the sunrise just before breakfast service even more pleasant and unique.

Swiss quality and hospitality
As of today, the new A340 carries the name of the Central Swiss holiday region of Melchsee-Frutt to the world. "We are proud to have a region from Central Switzerland represented by Edelweiss with this aircraft," said Bernd Bauer at the christening of the A340. "The location suits us. Melchsee-Frutt, like Edelweiss, stands for Swiss quality and hospitality." And Erich Ettlin, member of the Council of States from Obwalden, summed it up: "Edelweiss and Melchsee-Frutt have one thing in common: Once you visit us, you'll always return."

In addition to the latest fleet expansion, Edelweiss also unveiled the new uniforms for its flight attendants and pilots, which have been completely redesigned for the first time in twenty years. With the growing route network and larger fleet, the company also plans to expand its flight crew, who carry Edelweiss' Swiss hospitality to the wider world.

Facts about the A340

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.