SWISS will be steadily expanding its services for summer 2022, and is already preparing for post-pandemic times. Despite the associated financial impact, the company will end its short-time working for all employees this spring. It also plans to recruit new cabin crew members in the triple-digit range in the course of this year, and to take on more interns again.

With outlooks positive nationwide, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will be steadily expanding its range of air services in the course of the 2022 summer schedules. The company has already realigned its aircraft fleet and its workforce to the new market conditions under its ‘reach’ restructuring programme. Now, despite the financial ramifications, it has decided to end its present short-time working at the beginning of March for all its ground and cabin personnel. SWISS is keen to offer its employees new perspectives. Its cabin crew members, for instance, will again be able to train to become Maîtres de Cabine, while further career options and training opportunities should also be offered in the course of the year. For its cockpit crew corps, SWISS is currently in discussions with its social partner.

New further development opportunities are also being devised for SWISS’s other personnel groups. “Our short-time working has played a vital and substantial part in getting us through this unprecedented crisis,” says Head of Human Resources Christina Trelle. “We’re hugely grateful for that. And we’re delighted that we can now offer exciting new prospects and perspectives again to our employees, in the air and on the ground.”

Creating jobs
SWISS saw more cabin crew departures than expected due to voluntary early retirements, the mandatory vaccination programme introduced last autumn and staff turnover, which, contrary to expectations, had not fallen. To meet its projected staffing needs, SWISS will be recruiting new cabin crew members in the triple-digit range in the course of this year. In addition, and to the same end, more than half of the Zurich and Geneva-based former cabin crew members who had to leave SWISS under its restructuring will be returning to the company from April onwards. “We’re really pleased that we’ll be creating many jobs again and welcoming these new colleagues aboard,” says Head of Cabin Crew Reto Schmid. “And the fact that we’ve been able to win so many of our former cabin colleagues back confirms to us that, with its excitement and its variety, the cabin crew member’s profession has lost none of its appeal.”

The new cabin positions have already been advertised both internally and externally. Under present plans, the first basic training courses should begin in May.

SWISS is also increasing training opportunities on the ground. From this summer onwards, the company will offer some 70 internships again to help individuals acquire their first experiences of the working world. And in August another 20 future polymechanics, four future automation engineers and five future commercial officers will start their apprenticeships at SWISS.