SWISS benefits from US-Iran conflict, Q1 profit nearly 10 times that of last year
Benefiting from increased demand on Asian routes and fuel hedging strategies, SWISS's first-quarter profit soared to 30 million Swiss francs, nearly 10 times that of the same period last year. However, rising fuel costs, supply risks, and an aging fleet continue to drive up maintenance expenses. SWISS emphasizes that full-year operations are still expected to grow, and it will continue to promote cost-saving measures to maintain affordable fares.
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- 📰 Published: May 8, 2026 at 22:46
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US-Iran War Key News
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Kuo Fang-Chun, Zurich, 8th) Benefiting from increased demand on Asian routes and fuel hedging strategies, SWISS's first-quarter profit soared to 30 million Swiss francs, nearly 10 times that of the same period last year. However, rising fuel costs, supply risks, and an aging fleet still lead to increased maintenance expenses. SWISS emphasizes that full-year operations are still expected to grow, and it will continue to promote cost-saving measures to maintain affordable fares.
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) saw its profit significantly increase from 3.3 million Swiss francs (approximately NT$133 million) in the first quarter of last year to 30 million Swiss francs (approximately NT$1.20959 billion) this year. SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger stated at a recent press conference: "SWISS usually has weak revenues in the first quarter, but this year it has shown a solid performance."
According to information released at the press conference, SWISS's Asian routes benefited from the large number of flight cancellations or reductions by Middle Eastern airlines. Even though the flight duration became longer, many customers were willing to "take a detour," thus switching to SWISS. SWISS operated approximately 30,000 flights in the first quarter of this year, a 7.1% decrease from the same period last year, but successfully increased aircraft load factor and utilization efficiency.
SWISS CFO Dennis Weber stated that SWISS has hedged approximately 80% of its fuel needs in response to the situation to reduce the impact of oil price fluctuations. This proportion is higher than other airlines, but about 20% of fuel is still affected by market price fluctuations. He expects significant cost pressure in the second quarter and must also face the risk of fuel supply shortages. The company is currently planning various contingency measures in advance to mitigate risks.
He explained that the first quarter is always the weakest quarter for the airline industry, and most of an airline's profits usually come from the remaining quarters. If fuel supply is tight in some parts of Asia or Africa, airlines will respond by adjusting flight schedules. If necessary, intermediate refueling stops will be arranged, and another feasible measure is to stockpile fuel reserves in Switzerland.
He admitted that some of SWISS's fleet has entered its second decade of service, leading to increased maintenance and upkeep needs. Coupled with inflation and rising market prices, this continuously pushes up maintenance costs, which may create operational pressure.
In addition, since the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict, SWISS has begun to implement cost-saving measures and plans to further reduce costs. Fehlinger stated that if they want to keep fares affordable for the public, they must further save costs. SWISS currently expects full-year operations to continue to grow and remains optimistic about the situation. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150508
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Kuo Fang-Chun, Zurich, 8th) Benefiting from increased demand on Asian routes and fuel hedging strategies, SWISS's first-quarter profit soared to 30 million Swiss francs, nearly 10 times that of the same period last year. However, rising fuel costs, supply risks, and an aging fleet still lead to increased maintenance expenses. SWISS emphasizes that full-year operations are still expected to grow, and it will continue to promote cost-saving measures to maintain affordable fares.
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) saw its profit significantly increase from 3.3 million Swiss francs (approximately NT$133 million) in the first quarter of last year to 30 million Swiss francs (approximately NT$1.20959 billion) this year. SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger stated at a recent press conference: "SWISS usually has weak revenues in the first quarter, but this year it has shown a solid performance."
According to information released at the press conference, SWISS's Asian routes benefited from the large number of flight cancellations or reductions by Middle Eastern airlines. Even though the flight duration became longer, many customers were willing to "take a detour," thus switching to SWISS. SWISS operated approximately 30,000 flights in the first quarter of this year, a 7.1% decrease from the same period last year, but successfully increased aircraft load factor and utilization efficiency.
SWISS CFO Dennis Weber stated that SWISS has hedged approximately 80% of its fuel needs in response to the situation to reduce the impact of oil price fluctuations. This proportion is higher than other airlines, but about 20% of fuel is still affected by market price fluctuations. He expects significant cost pressure in the second quarter and must also face the risk of fuel supply shortages. The company is currently planning various contingency measures in advance to mitigate risks.
He explained that the first quarter is always the weakest quarter for the airline industry, and most of an airline's profits usually come from the remaining quarters. If fuel supply is tight in some parts of Asia or Africa, airlines will respond by adjusting flight schedules. If necessary, intermediate refueling stops will be arranged, and another feasible measure is to stockpile fuel reserves in Switzerland.
He admitted that some of SWISS's fleet has entered its second decade of service, leading to increased maintenance and upkeep needs. Coupled with inflation and rising market prices, this continuously pushes up maintenance costs, which may create operational pressure.
In addition, since the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict, SWISS has begun to implement cost-saving measures and plans to further reduce costs. Fehlinger stated that if they want to keep fares affordable for the public, they must further save costs. SWISS currently expects full-year operations to continue to grow and remains optimistic about the situation. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150508
Choose to stand with facts; every sponsorship you provide is a force for protecting press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.