A total of 326 flights will be cancelled, a SWISS spokesperson confirmed to the news agency AWP on Wednesday.
Keystone-SDA
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights this summer due to a shortage of cockpit staff as well as technical and structural bottlenecks.
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This content was published on
March 18, 2026 – 12:16
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A total of 326 flights will be cancelled, a SWISS spokesperson told the AWP news agency on Wednesday, confirming an earlier report by the industry online site Aerotelegraph. The cuts will affect around 0.4% of the airline’s total flight offer.
The problem has improved since last year when 1,400 flights had to be cancelled between April and October, or 1.5% of the total number of flights.
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SWISS cancels 1,400 summer flights due to pilot shortage
This content was published on
May 16, 2025
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is cancelling 1,400 flights this summer due to a shortage of pilots.
Read more: SWISS cancels 1,400 summer flights due to pilot shortage
SWISS, a Lufthansa subsidiary, is targeting labour-intensive long-haul routes, for example with reduced frequencies to Chicago and Shanghai.
Eleven aircraft with engine problems
SWISS has a shortage of captains and co-pilots for the Airbus A320 and A321 planes, as well as the A330 and A340, which are also tied up due to retraining for the new Airbus A350. In addition, eleven aircraft have been grounded due to engine problems, which complicates operational planning.
+ SWISS turnover and profit hits turbulence
According to the airline, the training and retraining of cockpit personnel takes months, and short-term solutions are not really possible due to contractual requirements and the current career model. SWISS described the cancellations as a “last resort”.
In contrast to the cockpit staff, the airline currently has a surplus of cabin crews – up to 300 flight attendants too many in certain periods. As a result, it has introduced corrective measures including a lump-sum bonus of up to CHF15,000 offered to full-time cabin crew members who resign voluntarily.
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SWISS offers up to CHF15,000 for voluntary departure
This content was published on
Mar 17, 2026
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is offering flight attendants financial incentives for voluntary resignation or a temporary break.
Read more: SWISS offers up to CHF15,000 for voluntary departure
Adapted from French by AI/sb
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