SWISS Appoints New CEO

Last week, Switzerland’s flag carrier, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has appointed a new Chief Executive Officer.

This article will cover the details surrounding SWISS’ new Chief Executive Officer appointment for the Switzerland flag carrier.

SWISS’ New CEO

Photo Credit: Swiss International Air Lines

On June 28, SWISS’ Board of Directors appointed Jens Fehlinger as the airlines new CEO. Fehlinger will take up the new role from October 1, 2024.

Fehlinger is succeeding Dieter Vranckx who has since been appointed to the Lufthansa Group Executive Board. Between now and October, SWISS’ Board of Directors have selected Heike Birlenbach to serve as the interim CEO for the carrier.

Fehlinger first started with the Lufthansa Group in 2006 and has been in quite a few managerial posts with the group during that time. This includes Head of Corporate Airline Strategy & Business Development for Lufthansa Airlines and Head of Operations Performance Management & Analytics for the Lufthansa Group.

Fehlinger then ran the Lufthansa Group’s crisis management office during the pandemic; and also was the lead for the Group’s subsequent ReNew restructuring programme.

Over the past few years, Fehlinger has served as Co-Managing Director of Lufthansa CityLine, while working to establish and develop the new Lufthansa City Airlines company as Managing Director. Whilst doing all this, Fehlinger holds an ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence) and flies for Lufthansa CityLine on its Airbus A320-family aircraft.

Senior Comments

Reto Francioni, Chairman of the SWISS Board of Directors, has said. “In Jens Fehlinger we have secured the services for our company of a genuine connoisseur of the air transport sector.”

“He has accumulated extensive experience in various areas within the Lufthansa Group; and he has proven well able to deliver innovations in our industry. He has shown vision, strategic flair and operational expertise, along with an ability to work closely with his teams, to establish a new airline; and, in doing so, he has confirmed his capacity to guide a company to success.”

“With his personality, too, he will fit excellently not only into our SWISS Management Board but also into our particular SWISS culture. I look forward to working with him, and I wish him every success and satisfaction in his new position.”

Jens Fehlinger adds, “I am really looking forward to joining SWISS. It’s a great company that has performed outstandingly well, especially in the last few years, and that has emerged from the recent crisis as a sound and growing concern.”

“It has achieved this above all through its dedicated, open and innovative team – a team that celebrates its Swissness with pride. This Swissness is a vital commodity which makes SWISS unique.”

“I see it as my new duty to ensure that we continue to cultivate this invaluable company asset. And I am particularly looking forward to becoming part of the SWISS team.”