Helvetic Airways
IATA ICAO Callsign
2L[1] OAW HELVETIC
Founded2003 (2003)
AOC #CH.AOC.1033[2]
Hubs
Fleet size16
Destinations34
Parent companyHelvetic Airways AG
HeadquartersKloten, canton of Zürich, Switzerland
Key peopleBruno Jans, CEO
Tobias Pogorevc, CFO
EmployeesAbout 400[3]
Websitewww.helvetic.com/en

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.

History

A former Helvetic Airways Fokker 100 in the airline's former livery in 2004.

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 Zurich. 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 Zurich-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]

Destinations

Scheduled destinations as of September 2019 (not included are the routes served for Swiss International Air Lines on a long-term wet-lease contract):[14]

Country City Airport Notes Refs
CyprusLarnacaLarnaca International AirportSeasonal[14]
FinlandKuusamoKuusamo AirportTerminated
FranceBordeauxBordeaux–Mérignac AirportTerminated
CalviCalvi – Sainte-Catherine AirportTerminated
LourdesTarbes–Lourdes–Pyrénées Airport CharterTerminated
GermanyRostockRostock–Laage AirportTerminated
GreeceHeraklionHeraklion International AirportSeasonal[14]
KosKos International AirportSeasonal[14]
PrevezaAktion National Airport CharterTerminated
RhodesRhodes International Airport CharterTerminated
SantoriniSantorini (Thira) International AirportSeasonal[14]
IrelandLimerickShannon AirportTerminated
ItalyOlbiaOlbia Costa Smeralda Airport
KosovoPristinaPristina International Airport Adem Jashari CharterTerminated
LuxembourgLuxembourgLuxembourg Airport
North MacedoniaOhridOhrid "St. Paul the Apostle" Airport Charter
SkopjeSkopje International Airport CharterTerminated
NorwayTromsøTromsø Airport, Langnes CharterTerminated
SpainJerez de la FronteraJerez Airport[14]
Palma de MallorcaPalma de Mallorca AirportSeasonal[14]
SwitzerlandBernBern AirportHub[14]
SionSion Airport
ZürichZurich AirportHub[14]
Switzerland
France
Germany		Basel
Mulhouse
Freiburg		EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse FreiburgHub[14][15]
TurkeyAntalyaAntalya AirportSeasonal[16]

Fleet

Helvetic Airways Embraer 190
Helvetic Airways Embraer 190-E2

Current fleet

As of October 2023, Helvetic Airways operates the following aircraft:[17][18]

Helvetic Airways fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
Embraer 190 4 — 112 Operated for Swiss International Air Lines
Embraer 190-E2 8 — 110 Purchase rights for additional 12 aircraft.[19]
Embraer 195-E2 4 — 134
Total 16 —

Historic fleet

In the past, Helvetic Airways has operated the following types of aircraft:

References

  1. ↑ "IATA - Airline and Airport Code Search". iata.org. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "List of AOC Holders with Complex Airplanes" (PDF). Federal Office of Civil Aviation. 28 March 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 April 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "Information of Helvetic Airways Group". helvetic.com. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  4. ↑ "Imprint Archived 29 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine." Helvetic Airways. Retrieved on 6 November 2009. "Helvetic Airways AG P.O. Box 250 CH-8058 Zurich Airport"
  5. ↑ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 3 April 2007. p. 90.
  6. ↑ "Helvetic Airways fliegt für Lufthansa - TRAVEL INSIDE". 24 March 2016.
  7. ↑ "2011 startet Helvetic auch von Bern-Belp aus".
  8. ↑ Higgins, Andrew (18 February 2013). "Brazen Jewel Robbery at Brussels Airport Nets $50 Million in Diamonds". New York Times. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  9. ↑ "Helvetic Airways - Fleet information of E-190". www.helvetic.com. Helvetic Airways AG. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  10. ↑ "A319 bekommen Niki-Beklebung".
  11. ↑ INSIDE, TRAVEL (24 March 2016). "Helvetic Airways fliegt für Lufthansa | aboutTravel". abouttravel.ch. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  12. ↑ "SWISS and Helvetic Airways Expand their Collaboration". Airline Suppliers. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  13. ↑ Nick Wenzel (29 October 2019). "Helvetic Airways takes delivery of its first Embraer E190-E2". International Flight Network. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Flugplan". www.helvetic.com. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  15. ↑ "Switzerland's Helvetic Airways to open Basel base in 3Q21". Ch-Aviation. 16 June 2021.
  16. ↑ "Flights to Antalya (AYT) | Helvetic Airways".
  17. ↑ "Helvetic Airways Flotte - ZRH-Spotter".
  18. 1 2 "Helvetic Airways Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  19. ↑ "Embraer lands seven new Regional Jet orders". Ch-Aviation. 17 July 2018.
  20. ↑ "About Travel (in German)". www.abouttravel.ch. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  21. ↑ "Helvetic Airways Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 2 May 2017.

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