The Swiss airline Swiss wants to significantly reduce its growth this year. Compared to the previous year, the Lufthansa subsidiary plans to limit seat-kilometer growth to just five percent. This step represents a drastic reduction in the airline's growth trajectory, which had set itself an even more ambitious target last year. The focus for 2025 is less on further expanding the route network and more on improving service quality and punctuality. CEO Jens Fehlinger emphasized that the airline was particularly concerned about the increasing complexity and declining service quality of recent years.
"We do not want to generate more growth than the air traffic system can handle," Fehlinger explained in an interview with the Swiss news portal "Travelnews". This cautious growth is necessary to keep the quality of service at a high level. Last year, Swiss benefited from more aggressive growth, but this had an impact on the punctuality of flights and general customer service. Fehlinger emphasized that service quality and punctuality rates suffered under the pressure of high growth in 2024, leading to declining customer satisfaction.
The punctuality target of 70 percent, which was only 65 percent last year, is now to be achieved again in 2025. In the long term, the airline is even aiming for an 80 percent punctuality rate, which is a much more ambitious goal. However, such a goal can only be achieved with a more stable and sustainable growth strategy that enables Swiss to make operations more efficient and maintain quality at a high level.
Fleet planning: Focus on long-haul and A350
Another important aspect of the reduced growth strategy concerns the airline's fleet planning. With regard to the aircraft inventory and vehicle provision, Swiss has decided to minimize the use of wet lease agreements with external partners. Wet lease means that Swiss leases aircraft from other airlines, which then fly under the airline's name. Swiss will currently use six A220-300s from Air Baltic to cover peaks in demand, particularly in summer. Although Swiss benefits from the advantages of this partnership, such as more flexible capacity, Fehlinger explained that in the long term the company wants to withdraw from such wet lease agreements as they are not optimally compatible with the Swiss brand.
Nevertheless, the wet lease area remains important for the airline, as the use of external aircraft is essential for seasonal peak periods. Especially in a year with unpredictable travel movements and shifts in demand, it is important to rely on external partners in order to remain flexible.
Another key element in Swiss's fleet planning is the use of Airbus A350-900, a modern long-haul aircraft. The first of ten A350 aircraft is scheduled to enter service with the airline in September 2025. Swiss plans to integrate a total of five A2027s into its fleet by the end of 350. These aircraft will gradually replace the old Airbus A340-300s currently used on long-haul flights. The A350-900 is considered to be particularly efficient and environmentally friendly, which plays an important role in intercontinental traffic. The remaining five A350s are scheduled to join the fleet by 2031 and replace the older A340s in the long term.
Swiss currently mainly uses the Boeing 777 on long-haul flights. The switch to the Airbus A350-900 shows the airline's increasing reorientation, which aims to rely on a more modern and efficient aircraft fleet in the future. The A350 is particularly attractive for long-haul flights due to its advanced technologies and low operating costs.
Challenges and future prospects
Swiss's decision to slow growth is part of a broader strategy of the Lufthansa Group, which in recent years has increasingly focused on stability and long-term quality rather than rapid growth. This decision may reflect a certain caution in the context of constantly changing market conditions and the ongoing uncertainties caused by global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions.
For the airline, however, this strategy not only means a reduction in growth, but also a change in operational processes. The airline must work more efficiently in both its aircraft fleet and in the service area in order to remain competitive. The continuous investment in new aircraft such as the A350 and the reduction in dependence on wet lease contracts are aimed at stabilizing Swiss in the long term and consolidating its position as a leading airline in the European market.
However, it remains to be seen how passengers will react to the reduced growth strategy. For many customers who are used to rapid expansion and a large number of connections, the change of course could mean fewer options, especially on shorter routes. However, Swiss will have to ensure that demand in the important markets is met even with reduced growth in order not to jeopardize its market position.
Overall, Swiss's decision to slow down growth shows that the airline is responding to the changing conditions in global air traffic and is increasingly focusing on optimising its own operational processes rather than continuing to expand in a highly competitive market.
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