Swiss leisure carrier Edelweiss took one step in front of its sister airline – SWISS – and took delivery of their first Airbus A350-900.
Edelwiess Airbus A350-900 – Image, Edelwiess.
The first Airbus A350 arrived at Zurich Airport, registered as HB-IHF. It had previously taken off from Lourdes Airport (LDE).
During its landing approach, the modern long-haul aircraft provided an additional goosebump moment: after a planned go-around manoeuvre, the Airbus A350 made a celebratory lap of the airport before finally touching down
The aircraft taxied down the runway accompanied by follow-me vehicles and was greeted with a water salute from the fire engines of the Zurich Protection & Rescue service. The Airbus A350 then headed for its parking position B38. More than 100 employees and the Edelweiss management team were already waiting to give the newest member of the fleet and its flight crew a fitting welcome.
HB-IHF is not a new aircraft – rather, it was originally delivered to LATM Brasil. It was stored in April 2021. It was added the Edelweiss fleet and re-registered on the 4th March, with the aircraft now delivered to the airline.
As such, it will be delivered with a refresh to the LATAM interior, with a full refresh at a later date. This will feature Business Class, Economy Max and Economy Class cabins.
Edelweiss Business Class aboard their A350 – Image, Edelweiss.
Edelweiss Economy MAX (foreground) and Economy Class aboard their A350 – Image, Edelweiss.
Edelweiss EconomyClass aboard their A350 – Image, Edelweiss.
Exit the A340-300
Currently, Edelwiess operates a fleet of five Airbus A340-300 aircraft in its long-haul operation. With “new” A350s replacing these older aircraft, the A340s should exit the fleet by mid-2027. In total, six A350-900s will join the fleet.
With the A350s coming in, there are benefits too, with the aircraft consuming 25 per cent less fuel and thus producing 25 per cent less CO2 than the four-engine Airbus A340 it replaces. In addition, noise emissions are up to 50 per cent lower.
By mid-2027, the five existing long-haul Airbus A340-300 aircraft will be replaced and Edelweiss’ long-haul fleet will be expanded back to its pre-coronavirus level of six aircraft.
Work ahead
Edelwiess will be putting these aircraft to work shortly, as they are needed for the crew to familiarise themselves with – so expect them to show up on some European routes.
In terms of long haul routes, Las Vegas will be the first long-haul destination that Edelweiss will fly to with the Airbus A350. From 17th May 2025, the aircraft will be deployed three times a week on this route. The Zurich-Vancouver-Zurich route will be served daily when the second Airbus A350 enters service at the 1st July 2025.
The third Airbus A350 will join the Edelweiss fleet at the beginning of October 2025.
Welcome to Economy Class and Beyond. Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, in-depth coverage, unique research, as well as the humour and madness I only know how to deliver.
Our Social Media pool has expanded. You can find us across most networks such as @economybeyond on BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon and Instagram!
Also, remember that we are part of the BoardingArea community, bringing you the latest frequent flyer news from around the world.
Leave a Reply