Swiss Airlines is offering roughly 4,000 Zurich-based flight attendants a lump-sum bonus of up to CHF 15,000 (£14,000) if they terminate their contracts by April 30, 2026.
The airline currently has 300 to 400 more cabin crew than its operations require due to pilot shortages and engine issues grounding aircraft, leaving the airline with more crew than flights.
To receive the voluntary redundancy payment, employees must submit their resignation between 13 March and 30 April.
Those who accept the package must leave their jobs by the end of August.
The lump-sum is for full-time staff, and is adjusted pro-rata for part-time staff, the equivalent of about four months’ salary for some.
Employees can also receive this indemnity if they switch to a ‘dormant contact’ for at least one year.
This option is available after six years of service and guarantees an employee’s position upon their return.
A Swiss spokeswoman told the AWP news agency on Monday: ‘Cabin crew requirements are constantly changing according to the flight schedule, the season and operational developments.
‘At present, we estimate that up to around 300 cabin crew are temporarily overstaffed in some months compared to what we can deploy.
‘We expect this situation to gradually normalise over the coming months and to be brought back into balance by early 2027 at the latest.”
‘In recent months, we have already offered voluntary options such as unpaid leave or individual breaks. Many colleagues take advantage of these when it suits their personal situation.’
According to Swiss Info, the airline employed around 400 excess cabin crew, despite ongoing issues with aircraft engines and a persistent shortage of pilots.
The spokeswoman told the site that it was too early to evaluate feedback to the proposal, which was announced on Friday, 13 March.
Daily Mail has contacted Swiss Airlines for comment.
It comes after the airline cut 1,400 – around 1.5 per cent – of its summer flights in 2025 due to a critical shortage of pilots and lack of aircraft.
Cancellations affected short, medium and long-haul routes, with significant reductions to Shanghai Pudong and Chicago O’Hare through October 2025.
At the time, Swiss had began training for their new A350-900 fleet, which reduced the amount of pilots available for regular flights, according to Ch-aviation.
To mitigate crew issues, the airline called on older pilots to delay their retirement, asked part-time staff to work more hours, and even implemented a voluntary vacation buyback scheme.
Credit: Daily Mail
