Despite high fuel costs and staffing issues, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has posted a profit for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/dos
Português
pt
SWISS sai da zona vermelha na primeira metade de 2022
The airline posted an operating profit of CHF67 million ($69.9 million) for the first six months of 2022, driven by “sizeable booking demand and the improved profitability provided by its completed restructuring activities”, it said on ThursdayExternal link.
Higher fuel costs, driven by the global rise in oil prices, were partially offset by increased bookings and higher ticket prices, SWISS said. Compared to the same period in 2021, passenger numbers were five times higher, at 5.3 million.
The airline’s cargo business also contributed to the positive figures.
Post-pandemic comeback
The results come after two difficult years, driven by the drop in travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic: in 2020 SWISS recorded losses of CHF654 million, and was granted a financial guarantee of up to CHF1.5 billion by the Swiss government.
In 2021, faced with continued disruption, the company posted losses of CHF427.7 million.
This year, the group said, it hopes to continue in the black and post positive results for the whole of 2022. This is despite ongoing issues, notably cancelled flights (a total of 676 Swiss flights between August and October have been shelved) sparked by the restructuring and staff dismissals.
On Thursday, the group said it wanted to reinvest in “further improving our customer services and in our own personnel”. The AWP agency reported that SWISS plans to hire some 800 cabin crew staff between now and mid-2023.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Rhine could warm by up to 4°C by 2100, scientists warn
This content was published on
The water temperature of the Rhine River could rise by up to 4.2° degrees Celsius by the end of the century due to the warming planet, scientists warn.
This content was published on
The Federal Council wants to explore the possibilities of joining the European Union’s €800-billion rearmament programme without compromising Swiss neutrality.
Defence Minister Pfister stresses importance of Swiss mission in Balkans
This content was published on
During a visit to the Balkans region last week, Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister met Swisscoy peacekeeping troops in Kosovo.
Premiere for Swiss Air Force on French National Day
This content was published on
On July 14, the Swiss Air Force will take part in the traditional air parade in Paris to mark the French bank holidays with an F/A-18 fighter jet. This is a first for Switzerland.
Swiss launch competition for memorial to Nazi victims
This content was published on
The victims of Nazi Germany are to be commemorated on the Casinoterrasse in Bern. A competition will be held to determine what the site will look like.
This content was published on
The cantonal police of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland have arrested and convicted five cocaine dealers in Chur within a week.
This content was published on
The Swiss business umbrella organisation Economiesuisse and the employers' association broadly support the package of agreements negotiated with the European Union.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
SWISS continues to suffer from impact of pandemic
This content was published on
Swiss International Air Lines has reported an operating loss of CHF398 million ($440 million) for the first six months of the year.
This content was published on
Additional cancellations are “unavoidable” because of staff shortages, a company spokesperson told the Keystone-SDA news agency on Sunday.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.