Swiss national flag carrier SWISS has announced official plans to withdraw its remaining Airbus A220-100 narrowbody airliner fleet from commercial service by the end of 2027 after a decade of operations. The carrier is transitioning its narrowbody fleet to an all-A220-300 operation. Out of the original nine A220-100 aircraft acquired by SWISS, the airline has already removed five airframes from active service, leaving four operational units set for retirement.
SWISS originally became the global launch customer for the Airbus A220-100 in July 2016, when the aircraft platform was known as the Bombardier CSeries CS100. The arrival of the clean-sheet airliner represented a major milestone in the carrier's fleet renewal strategy, replacing its aging fleet of Avro RJ100 regional jets. The aircraft were equipped with advanced aerodynamics and powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofan engines.
Throughout its operational history, SWISS acquired a total of nine smaller A220-100s alongside a larger fleet of 21 A220-300 aircraft. In the SWISS cabin configuration, the larger A220-300 accommodates around 145 passengers, whereas the smaller A220-100 provides only 125 seats. Amid industry-wide pressures from rising operating costs and capacity constraints, the additional passenger seats offered by the -300 variant present a stronger commercial proposition while maintaining overall fleet efficiency.
The decision to retire the A220-100 fleet also comes as SWISS manages the ongoing impact of Pratt & Whitney engine availability issues affecting geared turbofan platforms. Maintenance delays, spare-part shortages, and extended engine shop visits created persistent operational challenges. SWISS initially prioritized engine availability for its larger A220-300s by sacrificing smaller -100s, later concluding that its limited spare engines, components, and MRO resources are best focused on the larger variant.
