Helvetic Airways, previously named Odette Airways, is a Swiss regional airline headquartered in Kloten with its fleet stationed at Zurich Airport.[4] It operates flights to destinations in Europe and Northern Africa, mainly leisure markets, on its own behalf,[5] as well as scheduled flights on behalf of Swiss International Air Lines and Lufthansa,[6] using their fleet of Embraer 190s and Embraer 190-E2s.
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 three destinations. By 2004, the fleet had grown to seven aircraft.
In December 2006, the carrier unveiled a new look for its aircraft. Since then, 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.[7]
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 Zürich. 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.[8]
In December 2014,[9] Helvetic Airways began to take over seven Embraer 190s, which were freed by Niki changing their fleet.[10]
Since March 2016, there is a wet-lease contract with Lufthansa for the Zürich-Munich route.[11]
In 2018, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) expanded its partnership with Helvetic Airways, announcing that it will deploy up to eight Helvetic Airways Embraer E190-E2 aircraft or similar equipment on its route network, from 2019 onwards.[12] On 14 June 2019, the last Helvetic Airways Fokker 100 left the fleet. Shortly after, on 29 October 2019, the carrier took delivery of its first Embraer E190-E2 aircraft.[13]
Weathering the COVID-19 pandemic
During a 2022 company conference, Martin Ebner, owner of the airline, discussed how Helvetic decided not to push for a contract with Swiss International Air Lines requiring the latter to pay its wet lease fees while airline fleets were grounded during the COVID-19 pandemic, losing out on millions. In doing so, Ebner argued Helvetic helped ease Swiss' ticket refund burden during the pandemic. Despite this, Swiss subsequently reduced its wet-lease agreement with Helvetic from eight to four aircraft, a move Ebner considered a "breach of contract" that worsened Helvetic's pandemic struggles. Nevertheless, Helvetic Airways refunded travel agencies and all of its affected passengers promptly. They were able to afford this by relying on reduced lease rates payable to parent company, Helvetic Group, and switching to a less costly short-term temporary employment model with less hours of work for its pilots, crew and other employees (entailing less compensation). Further, unlike Swiss, the company did not receive government aid and had secured financing for its new Embraer jets using its own funds (themselves secured by Ebner's own assets), ultimately weathering the crisis.[14]
Ownership
Helvetic Airways is fully owned by Swiss businessman Martin Ebner.[15]
Destinations
Scheduled destinations as of January 2024 (not included are the routes served for Swiss International Air Lines on a long-term wet-lease contract):[16]
Fleet
External links
References
- IATA - Airline and Airport Code Search iata.org, retrieved 11 April 2015^
- List of AOC Holders with Complex Airplanes Federal Office of Civil Aviation, 28 March 2018, retrieved 20 April 2018^
- Information of Helvetic Airways Group helvetic.com, retrieved 2 May 2017^
- "Imprint ." Helvetic Airways. Retrieved on 6 November 2009. "Helvetic Airways AG P.O. Box 250 CH-8058 Zurich Airport"^
- Directory: World Airlines Flight International, 3 April 2007^
- Helvetic Airways fliegt für Lufthansa - TRAVEL INSIDE 24 March 2016^
- "2011 startet Helvetic auch von Bern-Belp aus".^
- Andrew Higgins. Brazen Jewel Robbery at Brussels Airport Nets $50 Million in Diamonds New York Times, 18 February 2013, retrieved 20 February 2013^
- Helvetic Airways - Fleet information of E-190 www.helvetic.com, Helvetic Airways AG, retrieved 2017-01-03^
- "A319 bekommen Niki-Beklebung".^
- TRAVEL INSIDE. Helvetic Airways fliegt für Lufthansa abouttravel.ch, 24 March 2016, retrieved 2017-01-03^
- SWISS and Helvetic Airways Expand their Collaboration Airline Suppliers, 11 December 2018, retrieved 2019-08-12^
- Nick Wenzel. Helvetic Airways takes delivery of its first Embraer E190-E2 International Flight Network, October 29, 2019, retrieved October 29, 2019^
- Helvetic Airways hat alles richtig gemacht Travelnews, 2022-03-02, retrieved 2024-07-06^
- Helvetic Airways: the other Swiss airline www.key.aero, 2021-11-23, retrieved 2024-06-27^
- Flugplan www.helvetic.com, retrieved 2018-07-14^
- Switzerland's Helvetic Airways to open Basel base in 3Q21 Ch-Aviation, 16 June 2021^
- Summer 2024: Helvetic flies Bern-Djerba; Helvetic Airways 17 November 2023^
- Flights to Antalya (AYT) | Helvetic Airways^
- Fees for partner airlines SWISS, retrieved 27 September 2018^
- Partner Carriers | Hahnair^
- Global Airline Guide 2025 - Helvetic Airways Airliner World, September 2025^
- Switzerland's Helvetic Airways takes first E195 ch-aviation.com, retrieved 9 July 2024^
- Embraer lands seven new Regional Jet orders ch-aviation.com, 2018-07-17, retrieved 2024-01-20^
- Helvetic Airways Expands Embraer E2 Fleet with New Order for up to Eight E195-E2 Aircraft embraer.com, 17 November 2025^
- About Travel (in German) www.abouttravel.ch, 8 November 2016, retrieved 2017-06-01^