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Edelweiss Repairs Airbus A340-300 Engine After Bird Strike in Zurich

Edelweiss Addresses Engine Damage Following Bird Strike at Zurich Airport
An Edelweiss Airbus A340-300 experienced a bird strike during its landing at Zurich Airport (ZRH) on December 1, 2025, resulting in temporary grounding of the aircraft. Operating flight WK38 from Liberia Guanacaste International Airport (LIR), the aircraft, registered HB-JMC, completed a safe landing and taxied to the gate without incident, according to reports from The Aviation Herald.
Inspection and Repair Efforts
Subsequent post-flight inspections revealed that birds had been ingested into the aircraft’s fourth engine, located on the right wing, causing damage to the engine blades. Maintenance teams promptly undertook repairs on the CFM International CFM56 engine. The aircraft remained out of service for approximately 25 hours before resuming operations on December 3, 2025, departing Zurich for Cape Town International Airport (CPT), as confirmed by Flightradar24 data.
The incident presented operational challenges for Edelweiss, necessitating the grounding of the widebody jet and adjustments to its long-haul flight schedules. These changes involved aircraft substitutions and, in some cases, passenger downgrades, eliciting mixed reactions from customers and industry observers. While some expressed concerns over the disruption and its impact on service quality, competitors highlighted their own fleet reliability in contrast. Edelweiss has focused on swiftly resolving the issue to minimize further operational disturbances.
Aircraft Profile and Fleet Context
The affected Airbus A340-300, delivered originally to Swiss in 2002 and operated by Edelweiss since April 2023, is configured with 29 business class and 271 economy seats. As of September 30, 2025, the aircraft had accumulated 108,773 flight hours and 12,443 cycles. At 22 years old, the A340-300 is increasingly rare in commercial service due to its age and the inefficiency associated with four-engine operations.
According to ch-aviation, only 37 A340-300s remain active worldwide, operated by 12 airlines. Lufthansa leads with 13 aircraft, followed by Mahan Air with six, and both Edelweiss and Swiss operating four each. Both Swiss carriers are in the process of retiring their A340 fleets in favor of more modern, fuel-efficient aircraft.
In October 2025, Edelweiss initiated the phase-out of its A340-300s, placing the first of its five aircraft into long-term storage at Teruel Airport in Spain. The airline plans to replace these aging quadjets with Airbus A350-900s, which provide enhanced efficiency and capacity. Both Edelweiss and Swiss anticipate completing the retirement of their remaining A340s by mid-2027 as part of comprehensive fleet modernization strategies.
Despite the recent disruption, Edelweiss has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining operational reliability and ensuring a seamless transition to its next-generation long-haul fleet.

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