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| Founded | 2003 (as Helvetic Airways AG) | |||
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| Fleet size | 6 | |||
| Destinations | 21 | |||
| Parent company | Helvetic Airways AG | |||
| Headquarters | Kloten, Switzerland | |||
| Key people | Bruno Jans(CEO), Tobias Pogorevc(CFO) | |||
| Website | helvetic.com/en/Default.aspx | |||
Helvetic Airways is an airline based at Zürich Airport in Kloten, Switzerland.[1] It operates flights to destinations in Europe and Northern Africa, mainly leisure markets, but also to business destinations. Its main base is Zürich Airport.[2] The airline now operates scheduled flights on behalf of Swiss International Air Lines using their fleet of Fokker 100s. In October 2010, the Swiss news media announced a new base in Bern Airport.[3]
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Helvetic Airways was established in the autumn of 2003 as a rebranding and extension of the existing airline Odette Airways to serve destinations in South-Eastern Europe. Switzerland's first budget carrier began operating in November with a Fokker 100 airliner flying to three destinations. By 2004, the fleet had grown to seven aircraft. The route network has been continually expanded since then.
In the context of financially restructuring the airline, in March 2006 the investment company Patinex AG, owned by Martin and Rosemarie Ebner, acquired all the shares of Helvetic Airways AG.
In December 2006, the carrier unveiled a new look for its aircraft. Since that time, all the Fokker 100s have livery in red-white-silver grey colours with the Swiss cross on the tailfin, intended to symbolise the values of quality, cleanliness and safety.
Initially, Helvetic Airways operated a growing fleet of Fokker 100 aircraft, serving diverse destinations throughout Europe from its home base in Zurich. Today the fleet comprises six Fokker 100s and operates from the Zurich and Bern-Belp airports.
Three of the aircraft have been leased on a long-term basis to Swiss International Air Lines within the scope of an ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) partnership. Helvetic Airways is using the other three aircraft for scheduled and charter flights. Scheduled flights are currently offered to Bari, Brindisi, Catania, Inverness, Cardiff, Bristol, Lamezia Terme, Olbia, Heringsdorf and Rostock. Helvetic Airways also operates charter flights to additional destinations for various tour operators.
The Helvetic Airways fleet includes the following aircraft (as of July 2010):
6 Fokker 100[4] with 100 seats HB-JVC, F/N 11501, year of construction 1994
HB-JVE, F/N 11459, year of construction 1993
HB-JVF, F/N 11466, year of construction 1993
HB-JVG, F/N 11478, year of construction 1993
HB-JVH, F/N 11324, year of construction 1993
HB-JVI, F/N 11325, year of construction 1993