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Founded | 2003 | ||||||
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AOC # | CH.AOC.1033 [2] | ||||||
Hubs | |||||||
Fleet size | 18 | ||||||
Destinations | 34 | ||||||
Parent company | Helvetic Airways AG | ||||||
Headquarters | Kloten, canton of Zürich, Switzerland | ||||||
Key people | Tobias Pogorevc, CEO | ||||||
Employees | About 400 [3] | ||||||
Website | www |
Helvetic Airways, previously named Odette 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.
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 Zürich. 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 Zürich-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. Shortly after, on 29 October 2019, the carrier took delivery of its first Embraer E190-E2 aircraft. [13]
Scheduled destinations as of January 2024 (not included are the routes served for Swiss International Air Lines on a long-term wet-lease contract): [14]
As of January 2024 [update] , Helvetic Airways operates the following aircraft: [18] [19]
Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Embraer 190 | 6 | — | 112 | Operated for Swiss International Air Lines | |
Embraer 195 | — | 4 | 120 | To be leased from summer 2024. [20] | |
Embraer 190-E2 | 8 | — | 110 | Purchase rights for additional 12 aircraft. [21] | |
Embraer 195-E2 | 4 | — | 134 | ||
Total | 18 | 4 |
In the past, Helvetic Airways has operated the following types of aircraft:
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Media related to Helvetic Airways at Wikimedia Commons