SWISS plans to donate last Airbus A340 to transport museum

Swiss plans to donate its last Airbus A340 to the Swiss Museum of Transport Keystone-SDA

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and the Swiss Museum of Transport have announced a joint museum project for the last Airbus A340-300 in the SWISS fleet. The aircraft is due to be incorporated into the aviation exhibition in Lucerne in early 2028.

However, as SWISS and the Swiss Museum of Transport announced on Tuesday, a number of significant technical, financial and regulatory issues still need to be resolved before the plan can be implemented.

The aircraft, which weighs around 125 tonnes and which SWISS intends to donate to the Swiss Museum of Transport, must be transported from Zurich Airport to Lucerne and positioned on the museum grounds. The costs for the transfer, structural modifications and the interior design are estimated to run into the high single-digit millions.

The Swiss Museum of Transport must raise these funds by the end of 2026, primarily through third-party funding from foundations, patrons and companies. The final decision on the project will only be made once transport, permits and funding have been secured.

With the Airbus A340-300 being taken out of service at the end of 2027, the era of four-engine passenger aircraft will come to an end at SWISS. For many years, this aircraft type was a defining feature of the Swiss airline’s long-haul fleet and connected the country with destinations all over the world.

At the Swiss Museum of Transport, the aircraft is to be displayed in the outdoor area in front of the Aerospace Hall. The interior of the aircraft is to be showcased in a variety of ways, according to the press release. The Convair 990 “Coronado”, a former four-engine long-haul aircraft from Swissair, is already part of the exhibition.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.