Copyright Simple Flying
Swiss International Air Lines has taken the drastic decision of grounding all nine of its Airbus A220-100 narrowbody twinjets amid ongoing engine issues with the plane's Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofans. The Swiss flag carrier and Star Alliance member was the launch customer for the type back in 2016, when it was still known as the Bombardier CS100 before the sale to Airbus. However, since then, these aircraft's Pratt & Whitney GTF engines have been plagued by reliability issues that reportedly come in the form of corrosion damage caused by a production issue. With no end in sight for these problems, SWISS has opted to withdraw its A220-100s from service for at least 18 months, with their spare engines being used on larger A220-300 jets. A Fall From Grace Nine years ago, SWISS launched what was then known as the Bombardier CS100. The smaller of the series' two variants, the carrier's website explains that "its high fuel efficiency and the exceptional travel comfort provided by a bright, generously designed cabin" make it "an appealing choice" for airlines and passengers. It also has valuable steep approach capabilities. However, as reported earlier today by Tages-Anzeiger, these aircraft will now be grounded due to the ongoing issues impacting their Pratt & Whitney engines. Dennis Weber, SWISS's Chief Financial Officer, confirmed the type's temporary withdrawal while presenting the airline's third-quarter results, saying that the type will remain on the ground for 18 months. He explained that: "This isn't a safety issue, but it's a constant source of effort. The A220-100s will remain grounded. This will take around a year and a half." Grounded A220-100s Will Provide Spare Engines For SWISS's A220-300s As the A220-100's launch customer, it has historically been a big fan of the Airbus A220 family as a whole, as reflected by the fact that it also flies the larger A220-300 model. However, these aircraft have also been impacted by the Pratt & Whitney engine issues, with Tages-Anzeiger noting that the carrier has had to lease extra A220-300s from Latvia's airBaltic to cover the gaps. While SWISS's Airbus A220-100 jets will not carry any passengers for the foreseeable future, they will, at least, be able to continue to serve the airline, albeit in a different form. Specifically, aeroTELEGRAPH notes that these planes will provide spare engines for the carrier's larger A220-300 jets, as the variants of the Pratt & Whitney GTF used are almost identical to each other. This, Weber explained in his corresponding presentation, will give SWISS a more reliable fleet when it comes to flying its Airbus A220-300s, as well as reducing the complexity of its operations. This reliability may also reduce the need to lease, with Tages-Anzeiger noting that the use of airBaltic's jets has caused controversy in Switzerland due to the Latvian crews' lower wages. A Challenging Period For SWISS's Airbus A220s Since air travel recovered following the end of the coronavirus pandemic, SWISS has had to deal with more than its fair share of issues regarding the Airbus A220 family and its faulty Pratt & Whitney GTF engines. The carrier was leasing jets from airBaltic as early as 2022 in order to boost stability, and, later that year, its A220s were diverted on two occasions due to unusual smells. In 2023, the scale of Pratt & Whitney's engine woes was beginning to become clear, with as many as eight of SWISS's 30 A220s being out of service awaiting engine replacements that May. In December 2024, the carrier's working relationship with the A220 reached its nadir when one of its cabin crew sadly passed away following an incident where a jet's cabin filled with smoke.
