SWISS’ leisure subsidiary, Edelweiss Air, has introduced plans to utterly overhaul its lengthy haul fleet.
Edelweiss buying six A350-900s as of 2025
Zurich-based Edelweiss Air at the moment has a fleet of 18 plane, together with 13 Airbus A320s and 5 Airbus A340-300s. The service has a median fleet age of almost 20 years, and now plans to modernize its fleet. Edelweiss Air will purchase six Airbus A350-900s, which can substitute the service’s 5 Airbus A340-300s:
- The primary A350-900 will be part of Edelweiss’ fleet by the summer season of 2025
- By the tip of 2026, all current A340-300s will likely be retired
- With this fleet renewal, Edelweiss’ lengthy haul fleet dimension will likely be restored to pre-coronavirus ranges
- Edelweiss is buying some A350-900s that used to fly for LATAM, because the airline retired these plane through the pandemic; Delta additionally flies some ex-LATAM A350-900s
- These A350s aren’t a part of the Lufthansa Group’s total A350 order, because the airline has dozens of these jets on order
Right here’s how Edelweiss Air CEO Bernd Bauer describes this fleet renewal:
“The modernisation of the long-haul fleet is a milestone in Edelweiss’ nearly 30-year historical past. Edelweiss will thus function one of many youngest long-haul fleets in Europe from 2026.”
“The design of the Airbus A350-900 units new requirements in effectivity with state-of-the-art applied sciences and excellent aerodynamics. It is without doubt one of the most environmentally pleasant long-haul plane on the planet. Newest technology engines and the usage of light-weight supplies make the twin-engine Airbus A350-900 some of the fuel-efficient wide-body plane. It consumes 25 per cent much less gas and produces 25 per cent much less CO2 than the four-engine Airbus A340-300, and noise emissions are as much as 50 per cent decrease.”
I’ve gotta say, I’ve all the time been a fan of Edelweiss’ livery, and I feel it appears to be like completely attractive on the Airbus A350!
Edelweiss Airbus A350 cabins & interiors
What ought to we count on from the interiors of Edelweiss’ Airbus A350s? For the primary 4 plane, Edelweiss will initially simply provide the identical product that LATAM used to supply on these planes, with slight modifications to the branding. Meaning the airplane will characteristic 339 seats, together with:
- 30 totally flat enterprise class seats, in a 2-2-2 configuration
- 63 additional legroom financial system seats, in a 3-3-3 configuration
- 246 financial system class seats, in a 3-3-3 configuration
All seats could have private leisure, plus USB retailers. Sadly the plane received’t characteristic Wi-Fi, although, a minimum of initially.
Ultimately Edelweiss plans to introduce new cabins on its A350s, representing an funding that’s “a three-digit million sum.” Edelweiss is claiming to not be initially reconfiguring these plane “because of worldwide materials shortages and decreased upkeep & engineering capacities.”
For what it’s value, Edelweiss’ A340-300s at the moment have a staggered configuration in enterprise class, nearly equivalent to what you’ll discover on SWISS’ A340-300s. For a leisure airline, it’s additionally noteworthy that Edelweiss doesn’t have a premium financial system cabin. I can’t assist however assume that this will likely be added sooner or later when new interiors are launched.
I’m sort of going to overlook Edelweiss’ very uncommon A340-300 configuration. The airline places enterprise class between additional legroom financial system and financial system, which you don’t usually see.
Backside line
Edelweiss Air is refreshing and rising its lengthy haul fleet, because the airline is changing its 5 Airbus A340-300s with six Airbus A350-900s. You may count on the plane to hitch Edelweiss’ fleet in 2025 and 2026, and for all A340s to be retired by late 2026. These A350s will initially characteristic former LATAM interiors, and sooner or later sooner or later the airline claims to be investing in new cabins.
What do you make of Edelweiss buying Airbus A350s?
