Business · Companies · 2 hrs ago
Swiss says rising fuel costs may push up ticket prices
Swiss plans to offset rising kerosene costs partly with higher ticket prices, CEO Jens Fehlinger says.
The airline has fuel-price protection for 80% of its needs through the end of this year, but only 50% at the start of next year.
The size of any fare increases is not yet known and will depend on how many seats Swiss offers and how many people want to fly.
Fehlinger says customers are currently willing to pay part of the extra cost, but some flights could be cancelled in an extreme case.
He says fuel costs are one of three obstacles to Swiss’s plans to grow.
The others are airspace closures linked to international crises and lingering supply-chain problems that keep some aircraft grounded, especially because of engine shortages.
A separate dispute with pilots remains unresolved: their collective labour agreement expires at the end of this year, and the airline says it wants to reach a deal through negotiations.
Swiss says it may raise ticket prices to offset higher kerosene costs.
CEO Jens Fehlinger said the airline’s fuel costs have risen sharply and kerosene is its largest cost item.
Swiss has hedged 80 percent of its fuel costs through the end of 2026, but expects that figure to fall to 50 percent at the start of 2027.
Fehlinger said the size of any fare increases would depend on how many seats Swiss offers and how many people want to fly.
In an extreme case, some flights could be cancelled.
- Who
- Swiss, led by CEO Jens Fehlinger.
- What
- The airline may raise ticket prices to partly offset higher kerosene costs. In an extreme case, flights could be cancelled.
- When
- The comments were reported on October 31 and November 1, 2026. The fuel hedge is due to fall from 80 percent by the end of 2026 to 50 percent at the start of 2027.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- Oil prices have risen, and kerosene is Swiss’s largest cost item.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Swiss has hedged 80 percent of its fuel costs.
Swiss expects its fuel-price hedging to cover 50 percent.
- CEO
- Jens Fehlinger
- Fuel hedged through end of 2026
- 80 percent
- Fuel hedged at start of 2027
- 50 percent
- Largest cost item
- Kerosene
3 sources
What people are saying
Customers are willing to pay part of the additional costs
That means we have to offset the higher kerosene costs through higher ticket prices
Kerosene is our largest cost item
A strike would be good for nobody