Swiss Allocates Two Airbus A220-100s For Part Out

Swiss International Air Lines has decided to decommission and dismantle two of the nine Airbus A220-100s it is temporarily taking out of service to provide engines for its A220-300 fleet.

The two A220-100s (reg. HB-JBD and reg. HB-JBC) were being stored in Toulouse as of January and will now not be reactivated. Both airframes were delivered to Swiss—which was the launch operator of what was then known as the Bombardier CS100—back in 2016, Aviation Week's Fleet Discovery database shows. 

“By dismantling (parting out) these two aircraft, we are specifically securing components for our own use,” a Swiss official told Aviation Week on May 28.

“Of the remaining seven Airbus A220-100s, three are currently in storage at Toulouse Francazal Airport,” the official said. Swiss plans to gradually take the remaining A220-100s out of service and park them for at least 18 months.

“We are continuously adjusting the exact schedule to the current operational situation. The goal of this measure remains to utilize the resources freed up for the reliable operation of the A220-300 fleet,” the official added.

Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engines from the A220-100s will be transferred on to the larger A220-300s, with 145 seats, which offer better economics for the airline.

Asked if both the A220-100 and the A220-300 have a future operating for Swiss, “no decision has yet been made,” the official said. While the flag carrier is prioritizing the A220-300 to stabilize flight operations and optimize costs within the existing framework, “this does not prejudge a long-term decision regarding the future role of the A220-100 subfleet,” the official added.

Like many other airlines, Swiss has affected by issues with the GTF engine family, with both the PW1500G and PW1100G that powers its A320neo-family aircraft. “Currently, four A320neos are grounded due to engine failure,” the official said.