Helvetic Airways does not achieve a top financial result
Published: Tuesday, Apr 2nd 2024, 17:02
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The airline Helvetic Airways did not achieve a top financial result last year despite record numbers of flights and passengers. "We are not on a par with 2018," said airline CEO Tobias Pogorevc in an interview with the Handelszeitung newspaper published online on Tuesday.
"We are profitable, but not yet enough," Pogorevc continued, without giving any figures. When asked what kind of hole the coronavirus pandemic had caused in Helvetic's finances, he said: "On the one hand, we were able to cushion personnel costs through short-time working."
On the other hand, there were many other obligations, including to the lessors and owners Martin and Rosemarie Ebner. Fortunately, the Ebner couple waived this part, so that Helvetic emerged from Covid debt-free and now has an excellent basis.
"The Ebner couple have invested well over half a billion francs in fleet renewal. We even took over aircraft from the manufacturer when the entire aviation industry was grounded. The aircraft belong to Helvetic Aircraft, which is also part of the Ebners' Helvetic Airways Group. We are therefore 100 percent self-financed. The Ebners did this because they have a long-term horizon and because it pays off in the long term," said the airline boss.
Very high capacity utilization in summer
In the coming summer business, he expects a very high occupancy rate, as in the previous year, said Pogorevc: "Anyone who has not yet booked their summer vacation will soon have difficulty finding a good deal."
In terms of destinations, the Greek islands, Majorca and other Mediterranean islands always sell well. "In the past two or three years, travel to the north has also boomed, including Iceland, Scandinavia and Scotland," said the Helvetic boss.
"I am confident that 2024 will be better than 2023. The entire aviation industry has now woken up from its Covid deep sleep. But there are various players to consider: Air traffic control, airports, airlines, ground handlers and so on. These gears didn't mesh last year," said Pogorevc.
"What remains is the weather: we've never had as many breezes in Zurich as last year - this reduces the capacity for arrivals and departures and leads to delays," he said.
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