SWISS International Air Lines has reinstated the last of its aircraft previously stored due to the coronavirus crisis. This marks the complete return to operation of its fleet. The aircraft, an Airbus A320, arrived on December 17 from Amman, Jordan, and conducted its first passenger service on Tuesday after three years in the desert.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the company stored 25 of its airplanes in Amman as a logistical response to the drastic drop in travel demand. With the recent return of the Airbus A320, the last of these stored aircraft, SWISS’s fleet is now fully operational.
Following thorough inspections by a specially trained crew, the plane left Amman after 1,180 days and returned to Zurich. It resumed passenger service on December 19, departing Zurich on flight LX974 to Berlin.
Technical Maintenance and Storage in Jordan
The carrier faced a significant decline in demand during the coronavirus pandemic, leading to a massive reduction in flight operations since Spring 2020. As part of this response, 25 aircraft were stored in the Jordanian desert.
Under the guidance of SWISS’s own technical specialists and in collaboration with a local maintenance, repair, and overhaul provider, all stored aircraft underwent regular inspections and maintenance.
This included regular washing of hydraulic systems and engine functionality checks. Jordan’s warm and dry climate is particularly suitable for long-term aircraft storage, offering optimal protection against oxidation of metal components due to low humidity.
Return to Full Operational Capacity
“We are delighted to welcome the last of our aircraft stored in Jordan back into flight operations and restore our operational fleet to its full size,” says Claus Bauer, Head of Technical Fleet Management at SWISS.
“Our specialists have made significant efforts over the past months to ensure each of our stored aircraft returned to Zurich in perfect technical condition. It has been a monumental task for everyone involved where every detail counts”, he added.
This Airbus A320-200, built in 1997, is one of the oldest aircraft in the SWISS fleet, operated by the company since its inception. The twin-engine can accommodate 180 passengers and has completed about 63,596 flight hours and 45,042 take-off/landing cycles in over 26 years of service.
