Why is Swiss Grounding Nine Airbus A220-100s for 18 Months?

Swiss International Air Lines has taken a major fleet decision.

The carrier is grounding its entire fleet of nine Airbus A220-100 aircraft. This move is a direct response to persistent issues with the Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan (GTF) engine.

SWISS confirmed the jets will remain out of service for at least 18 months. The airline will use the grounded aircraft as a source of spare engines.

The Engine Availability Crisis

The grounding is a drastic step to manage an ongoing maintenance crisis. The PW1500G engines powering the A220 fleet have shown premature wear. This wear requires extensive, unplanned overhauls and maintenance.

This issue has severely limited engine availability across the global fleet. SWISS, a Lufthansa Group subsidiary, operates a total of 30 A220s. This includes the nine smaller A220-100s and 21 of the larger A220-300 variant.

SWISS Chief Financial Officer Dennis Weber confirmed the temporary withdrawal. He stated the issue is not a safety concern. However, it is a "constant source of effort" for the airline. The decision was announced during the airline’s third-quarter results presentation.

Aircraft Cannibalization Strategy

The primary reason for the Swiss A220-100 grounding is to support the larger fleet. The engines from the grounded jets will create a spares pool. This spares pool will ensure operational reliability for the A220-300s. The A220-300s carry more passengers, making them vital for network capacity.

At the time of the announcement, SWISS had over 10 aircraft out of service. This was due to the ongoing PW1500G reliability problems. The 18-month grounding period reflects the expected time needed for engine supply chain recovery.

Operational and Industry Impact

This decision highlights the widespread challenge of Pratt & Whitney GTF engine issues. Many airlines operating the Airbus A320neo family also face similar problems. These issues involve the PW1100G variant.

For Swiss International Air Lines, the grounding has specific route implications. The A220-100 was crucial for flights into London City Airport. This airport requires special steep approach capabilities. SWISS will now rely on its wet-lease partner, Helvetic Airways. Helvetic will use its Embraer E2 jets to cover the London City routes.

The Airbus A220 engine issues have led to significant disruption across the industry. Other carriers have also struggled with the engine availability. EgyptAir, for example, previously sold its A220 fleet due to the PW1500G problems.

• The grounding reduces overall fleet complexity for SWISS.
• It secures engines for the higher-capacity A220-300s.
• The move is a major capacity loss for the smaller A220-100 routes.

This situation puts pressure on Pratt & Whitney to accelerate engine repair and production. The ongoing geared turbofan problems continue to strain airline operations globally. SWISS was the launch operator for the A220-100, then known as the Bombardier CS100, in 2016.

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