In a significant leadership change, the SWISS Board of Directors has appointed Jens Fehlinger as the new CEO of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), effective 01 October 2024. This strategic decision follows the appointment of the current CEO, Dieter Vranckx, to the Lufthansa Group Executive Board, where he begins his new role on 01 July 2024. Until Fehlinger takes over, Heike Birlenbach, the Chief Commercial Officer of SWISS, will serve as Interim CEO.
Jens Fehlinger, 43, brings a wealth of experience and a solid background in the aviation industry. Starting his career as a pilot, Fehlinger joined the Lufthansa Group in 2006 and has since held various management positions. His roles included Head of Corporate Airline Strategy & Business Development for Lufthansa Airlines and Head of Operations Performance Management & Analytics for the Lufthansa Group. Notably, he led the crisis management office during the COVID-19 pandemic and spearheaded the ReNew restructuring program.
Fehlinger has been instrumental as Co-Managing Director of Lufthansa CityLine and in establishing the new Lufthansa City Airlines, where he currently serves as Managing Director. In addition to his executive roles, Fehlinger maintains his passion for flying as a pilot on the Lufthansa CityLine Airbus A320-family fleet.
Academically, Fehlinger is well-prepared for his new role, having studied aviation engineering and management in Bremen and traffic and transport in Darmstadt, Germany. He also holds an Executive MBA from IE Business School in Madrid. A German national, Fehlinger is married and has two children.
Reto Francioni, Chairman of the SWISS Board of Directors, expressed his confidence in Fehlinger’s ability to lead the airline. “In Jens Fehlinger, we have secured the services of a genuine connoisseur of the air transport sector,” Francioni stated. “He has accumulated extensive experience in various areas within the Lufthansa Group and has proven well able to deliver innovations in our industry. He has shown vision, strategic flair, and operational expertise, along with an ability to work closely with his teams to establish a new airline. With his personality, too, he will fit excellently not only into our SWISS Management Board but also into our particular SWISS culture. I look forward to working with him, and I wish him every success and satisfaction in his new position.”
Fehlinger himself expressed enthusiasm for his new role, saying, “I am really looking forward to joining SWISS. It’s a great company that has performed outstandingly well, especially in the last few years, and that has emerged from the recent crisis as a sound and growing concern. It has achieved this above all through its dedicated, open, and innovative team — a team that celebrates its Swissness with pride. This Swissness is a vital commodity that makes SWISS unique. I see it as my new duty to ensure that we continue to cultivate this invaluable company asset. And I am particularly looking forward to becoming part of the SWISS team.”
Fehlinger’s appointment marks a new chapter for SWISS, promising continuity and innovation under his leadership.