For Hansjörg Bürgi, editor-in-chief of Skynews.ch, the purchase of the new long-term aircraft is no surprise. “It has been known for a long time that Edelweiss would buy new aircraft,” Bürgi told SRF News. The choice of aircraft type was also to be expected, as Swiss also relies on these long-haul aircraft.
But before buying new aircraft, the money has to be earned, says Bürgi. Because new aircraft are a major investment. For comparison: Swiss’s new fleet (short- and long-haul aircraft) cost eight billion francs.
“So far there has been no need for Edelweiss to buy new aircraft,” says Bürgi. Because the A340-300 aircraft had proven themselves, the Edelweiss was able to handle its long-haul flights. But: “In terms of fuel consumption, the aircraft were no longer up to date and some of them were 20 years old.” At some point, maintaining the aircraft will no longer be financially worthwhile.