Airbus A220: Happy birthday, little one

10 years Airbus A220: As Program Manager and later Head of Fleet, Peter Koch played a key role in the introduction of the Bombardier CSeries, now known as the Airbus A220, into the SWISS fleet. In this interview, he shares fascinating insights into the most memorable moments of the project while reflecting on the challenges that Bombardier and SWISS had to overcome together. In the video below, he talks about cabin features developed specifically for SWISS, his first flight on the aircraft, the delivery flight from Canada to Europe, and the very first scheduled commercial flight ever operated by an A220.

Interview with Peter Koch aboard an Airbus A220.

SWISS A220 Milestones
2008: The Lufthansa Group signs a Letter of Intent, enabling Bombardier to officially launch the CSeries development program.
2013: On September 16, the Bombardier CS100 prototype completes its maiden flight.
2015: SWISS decides not only to operate the Bombardier CS100 but also to convert part of its original order to the larger Bombardier CS300.
2016: SWISS takes delivery of the first Bombardier CS100, registered HB-JBA, in Mirabel, Canada. Following the delivery flight, the aircraft arrives in Zurich on July 1. Just two weeks later, on July 15, it operates the world's first scheduled commercial flight by a Bombardier CSeries, serving Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
2017: The larger Bombardier CS300 enters service. In March of the same year, SWISS begins the gradual renewal of its Geneva-based fleet, progressively replacing the Avro RJ100 with Bombardier CSeries aircraft.
2018: Airbus acquires a majority stake in the CSeries program. As a result, the aircraft family is renamed the Airbus A220, with the two variants becoming the Airbus A220-100 and Airbus A220-300.
2021: SWISS takes delivery of the last of its 30 ordered Airbus A220 aircraft.

facts and figures of the Airbus A220
A decade of the Airbus A220: key facts and figures.
pilot with gear of aircraft
Peter Koch's gem: SWISS's first Airbus A220, bearing the registration HB-JBA.
pilot in an airline cockpit
Peter Koch in the cockpit of the Airbus A220.
pilot checking the engine of an aircraft
Peter Koch inspects the engine of an Airbus A220.

Interview, text and images: Michael Stief, Linda Fritz

Published on 15 July 2026

More stories