Swiss to phase out A319s from 2018 replaced by Bombardier CS

[YS11]

· Swiss operates 5 A319 (138 seats), as well as 21 A320 (168-180 seats) and 9 A321 (219 seats). All are based in Zurich except 2 A320 and 1 A319 in Geneva.

· Swiss has an order of 10 CS100 (125 seats) and 20 CS300 (145 seats), of which it already operates 8 CS100 and 2 CS300.

· Avro RJ100 have now been fully phased out and replaced by CS100, and A319 will be retired by Spring 2018 and replaced by Bombardier CS300. Sources: UpInTheSky, ATW, CH Aviation



NS Analysis: Regional jets are growing larger, now up to 145 seats with the CS300, and efficiently replace small Airbus or Boeing aircraft. It is remarkable that Airbus stopped producing A318, and there is nearly no order for smallest aircraft of each family (A319 and B737-7). Larger aircraft allow for lower cost per seat, which becomes key in a market getting more commoditized. A321 thus amounts to half of Airbus narrowbody orders.


Swiss is enabled to adopt this efficient aircraft thanks to flexible agreement with its pilots, allowing CSeries incl. 145-seats model to be manned by cheaper regional pilots instead of mainline pilots. On the opposite, Delta, constrained by a 76-seats limit, will operate its larger CSeries (and B717) with mainline pilots and lower the smaller regional density to be below the 76 seats limit.

Source, Network Strategy