The message was sent to all approximately 4,500 flight attendants at the end of last week. And she has it all. Swiss cabin crew bosses tell employees that staffing levels are still too high.

This situation is not new. Engine problems in the industry and a shortage of cockpit personnel are to blame. “We will not have balanced inventories in the second half of the year as previously planned, but probably only in 2027,” says the letter that aeroTELEGRAPH has received.

Gross compensation of 15,000 francs (around 16,600 euros) in the event of termination

That is a problem, they continue. The renewed aggravation of the geopolitical situation and the current significant increase in oil prices increased uncertainty and pressure on finances. That’s why “short-term cost savings” are also needed. One way to do this is “incentivized measures to reduce excess inventory” in the cabin. Last autumn 2025 it became known that Swiss had around 400 cabin members too many.

Cabin crew bosses suggest many ways to address the backlog of staff. The most striking one is an exit bonus. Anyone who resigns between March 13 and April 30, 2026 and leaves by the end of August at the latest will receive a flat-rate gross compensation of 15,000 francs (around 16,600 euros) for full-time employment. For many cabin employees, this corresponds to several months’ wages: the starting salary at Swiss, excluding expenses and supplements, is currently around 4,000 francs.

There is clear pressure behind new offers

In addition to the termination bonus, Swiss continues to rely on other voluntary options. These include, for example, longer unpaid vacations in particularly overstaffed months or the switch to the so-called Study & Fly model for students who also work in the Swiss cabin, which also provides for compensation.

But long-term unpaid leave, reductions in workloads or extended maternity leave are also mentioned. According to Swiss management, the aim is to “quickly, effectively and purposefully reduce” the excess staff.

Step “very carefully considered”

However, there is also clear pressure behind the new offers. In the statement, management makes it clear that although voluntary solutions are preferred, failure of this strategy could have consequences. It literally says: “If we do not succeed in this, ultimately dismissals cannot be ruled out.”

From the airline’s perspective, the situation is tense. The step was “considered very carefully”. Due to the current situation, Swiss is dependent on reducing excess inventory quickly, effectively and in a targeted manner. The airline did not comment until the article was published.

From luca.larocca@aerotelegraph.com (Luca La Rocca)