HB-IYU was Swiss’ penultimate Avro RJ100; she is seen here landing at Birmingham in April (Martin Hartland)
Swiss has reduced its once sizable Avro RJ100 fleet to a single example. The airline started 2017 with eight RJ100s, but now RJ100 HB-IYZ (msn E3338) is the only example of the type left in service. The others have been gradually retired. HB-IYR (msn E3382) in late January, -IXO (msn E3284) in late February, -IYY (msn E3339) and -IYW (msn E3359) in early April, -IYQ (msn E3384) in late April, and -IXT (msn E3259) in early May. The latest to be retired was HB-IYU (msn E3379), who flew her last Swiss service — a roundtrip to Lyon as LX536/LX537 — on 30 June and was then ferried to Cranfield via Rotterdam on 3 July, on return to Falko. HB-IYZ is scheduled to operate her last regular service on 14 August. Fittingly, this will be a roundtrip to London City, which has long been central to Swiss Avro RJ operations. HB-IYZ will not immediately retire, however, as the following days will see a media flight (on 15 August), a series of sightseeing flights for employees and their family and friends (on 19 August), and a charter flight for aviation enthusiasts, arranged by BuchAIR-Shop Glattbrugg (on 20 August).
Recent news items on Swiss:
- Last Swiss Avro RJ100 departs Zürich (2017-08-24)
- Swiss ends Avro RJ100 operations (2017-08-15)
- Third Avro RJ100 delivered to Aerovías DAP (2017-04-29)
- BAE Systems marks Swiss BAe 146/Avro RJ anniversary (2017-03-28)
- Avro RJ100s to be banned from London City in March (2017-02-01)