Airlines

SWISS extends Premium Economy Class to its Airbus A340 fleet

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) embarked on the Premium Economy Class installation programme for its Airbus A340-300 fleet in December 2022. The first aircraft completed – HB-JMB – departed from Zurich for Johannesburg on its first flight with the new seating class installed. All four SWISS Airbus A340s will feature the popular new class of travel by this April. From the same date, Premium Economy Class will also be newly bookable for SWISS services on the Zurich-Johannesburg, Zurich-Hong Kong and Zurich-Chicago routes.

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“Our new Premium Economy Class has rapidly established itself as a hugely popular way of travel,” says SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “And the highly positive feedback that we’ve received from our customers – on the greater seating comfort, the enhanced service, the wider choice of meals and the quality of the food – has only strengthened our resolve to offer this top-quality product on more of our routes.”

SWISS has already installed Premium Economy Class throughout its Boeing 777-300ER fleet, whose first aircraft was completed at the end of February 2022. SWISS was the first airline in the Lufthansa Group to introduce the best-in-class Premium Economy seat, which sets new comfort benchmarks with its pitch of almost a metre and its 48-centimetre width.

Airlines

Sanctions & Engine Issues Ground Half of Russia’s A320neo fleet

Russia’s aviation sector, already strained by Western sanctions, faces another setback as nearly half of its Airbus A320neo family aircraft are grounded due to unresolved engine issues.

This development highlights the growing challenges for russia commercial aircraft in maintaining their fleets under the weight of global restrictions and limited access to spare parts.

Out of the 66 Airbus A320neo and A321neo jets in Russia, 34 are now out of service, according to the Kommersant business newspaper. These planes are powered by engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation.

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The engines are affected by a previously identified defect in the metal used for certain parts, prompting accelerated inspections and maintenance.

Sanctions have compounded the issue, blocking the supply of essential components from major manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus. Without proper maintenance, experts warn that these aircraft may face decommissioning as early as 2026.

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Airlines like S7, which operates a significant portion of these grounded jets, plan to conserve the engines for future use during peak travel seasons. However, reports suggest that over 20 of S7’s Airbus planes have engines that have already reached the end of their operational lifespan. Recently, russia seeks assistance from kazakhstan’s airlines to bolster its domestic flights.

While some A320neo and A321neo planes in Russia are equipped with French-made LEAP engines, which are seen as less problematic, the challenges remain daunting.

The situation underscores the long-term impact of sanctions on Russia’s aviation sector and the increasing difficulties in keeping its modern fleets operational.