Helvetic Airways
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| Founded | 2003 | ||||||
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| Fleet size | 14 | ||||||
| Destinations | 34 | ||||||
| Parent company | Helvetic Airways AG | ||||||
| Headquarters | Kloten, Switzerland | ||||||
| Key people | Bruno Jans, CEO Tobias Pogorevc, CFO |
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| Website | helvetic.com | ||||||
Helvetic Airways is a Swiss airline based at Zürich Airport.[2] It operates flights to destinations in Europe and Northern Africa, mainly leisure markets, but also to business destinations on its own behalf[3] as well as scheduled flights on behalf of Swiss International Air Lines using their fleet of Embraer 190s and Fokker 100s.
History
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 3 destinations. By 2004, the fleet had grown to 7 aircraft.
In December 2006, the carrier unveiled a new look for its aircraft. Since that time, 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.[4]
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.[5][6][7]
In spring 2015, Helvetic Airways began to take over seven Embraer 190s which were freed by Niki changing their fleet.[8]
Destinations
As of January 2014 Helvetic Airways serves the following destinations on its own behalf.[9] Not included are the routes served for Swiss International Air Lines on a long-term wetlease contract.
- Larnaca - Larnaca International Airport charter
- Fuerteventura - Fuerteventura Airport charter
- Gran Canaria - Gran Canaria Airport charter
- Lanzarote - Lanzarote Airport charter
- Palma de Mallorca - Palma de Mallorca Airport
- Tenerife - Tenerife Airport charter
- Corfu - Corfu International Airport charter
- Heraklion - Heraklion International Airport charter
- Kos - Kos International Airport charter
- Rhodes - Rhodes International Airport charter
- Shannon - Shannon Airport seasonal
- Bern - Bern Airport base
- Zürich - Zürich Airport base
- Birmingham - Birmingham Airport
- Manchester - Manchester Airport
- Inverness - Inverness Airport Seasonal
Fleet
The Helvetic Airways fleet includes the following aircraft as of December 2015:[11]
| Aircraft | In Fleet | Orders | Seat | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A319-100 | 1 | — | 138 | |
| Fokker 100 | 6 | — | 100 | |
| Embraer 190[12] | 7 | — | 112 | taken over pre-owned from Niki[13] |
| Total | 14 | — |
Helvetic Airways also used to operate McDonnell Douglas MD-83 which have since been phased out.
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Imprint." Helvetic Airways. Retrieved on 6 November 2009. "Helvetic Airways AG P.O. Box 250 CH-8058 Zurich Airport"
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/region/bern/2011-startet-Helvetic-auch-von-BernBelp-aus/story/14861225
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Casert, Raf, , "Robbers Snatch $50 Million of Diamonds Off Plane in Belgium," Associated Press, 19 February 2013, 4:13 a.m.
- ↑ Smith, Vicky, "The Great Plane Robbery: Gang of Fake Police Officers Steal £32m of Diamonds in Airport Heist," Associated Press, 19 February 2013, 18:49
- ↑ http://www.austrianaviation.net/news-regional/news-detail/datum/2015/04/15/a319-bekommen-niki-beklebung.html
- ↑ http://www.helvetic.com/hdc/destinationoverview
- ↑ http://www.helvetic.com/hdc/flightplan/ohd
- ↑ ch-aviation.com - Helvetic Airways
- ↑ http://www.zrh-spotter.ch/helvetic-airways-flotte.html
- ↑ http://www.austrianaviation.net/news-regional/news-detail/datum/2015/04/15/a319-bekommen-niki-beklebung.html
External links
Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons
- Official site (English)
- Official site (German)
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