When Yordanos laughs, her dark brown, almond-shaped eyes light up, especially when she talks about SWISS. “Yes, I definitely have jet fuel in my blood,” she says. Her connection to the airline is more than professional, it is close to her heart.
On this Monday morning, Yordanos is sitting at her desk at SWISS headquarter in Kloten. On her screen: emails, communication plans, meetings with various departments. A quick check, a glance at the calendar. The week is well structured, yet anything but monotonous. From time to time, she heads out to the hangar at Zurich Airport, where aircraft are maintained, mechanics tighten bolts, carry out inspections, secure processes and, above all, where stories are created. “This is where you really feel what you are working for,” she says.
“At SWISS, you feel what you are working for.”
Communications Manager SWISS TechOps & Singer
From the media office to a calling
Her journey at SWISS began in 2019 with an internship in the media relations team. She then moved externally into corporate communications at another company, a logical career step. And yet, something felt incomplete. “Deep down, I was always connected to SWISS,” she says. “To the people, to travel, to the spirit.”
Looking back, she describes it as a kind of long-distance relationship, one that never truly ended. Her wanderlust remained. It took her to Bali, Australia and Vietnam, not with a classic backpack, but with a wheeled suitcase. “I’m not a typical backpacker,” she says with a smile. “A little comfort is nice.” When the opportunity to return to SWISS came up in 2024, she did not hesitate.
Understanding and translating technology
Today, she reports as a communications manager from the world of TechOps. A field in which daily checks, aircraft maintenance, and safety are top priorities to ensure that everything is prepared for safe operation. And a field she entered without any technical background. “It was completely new territory for me at first,” she says. “But that's exactly what appealed to me.”
Her formula: listen, ask questions, understand processes and create clarity. Whether working on projects such as an image film to attract new specialists for the aircraft maintenance team or on internal campaigns, Yordanos always focuses on making complex technical processes understandable and on highlighting the people behind the technology.
“In my job, there are many exciting stories to tell.”
Between heritage and home
Yordanos was born and raised in the canton of Glarus, but her family roots lie in Tigray, Ethiopia. Growing up between different worlds has given her a strong sense of what motivates people and how to reach them. She moved to Zurich to study communications, from a mountain valley to the city, and from the Glarus dialect to Zurich German. “I had to adapt it a little,” she says with a grin.
Mixed Flames: music as a statement
Music has accompanied Yordanos since childhood. “When I sing, I am happy.” As a teenager, she sang in various choirs in the Glarus region, performed as a soloist and with her local band, which has existed since her high school days. During her studies in Zurich, she was determined to continue and joined a local music project in 2015.
That is where she met her current bandmates: Andjela, Marlou, Perissa and Yanê Luar. Five women, five backgrounds, five voices. Since 2017, they have formed Mixed Flames, a girl group that does not just live diversity, but makes it audible. “The name fits perfectly,” says Yordanos. “We stand for diversity and empowerment, and we express that in our music.” Their sound blends pop, soul and jazzy elements: warm, powerful and personal. Their songs tell stories of closeness, strength and togetherness, shaped by the band members’ experiences.
With their new single “That Thing,” Mixed Flames once again show how individual stories come together to form a shared sound. “We bring our perspectives together,” says Yordanos. “That is what makes our music authentic.” The next highlight is already approaching: on March 6, 2026, their first album Butterflies & Bruises will be released, an exciting milestone for the band.
Reaching the big stage with purpose
Yordanos describes herself as structured and organized: lists, priorities, planning. At SWISS, she coordinates projects, and within the band she also takes on responsibility, managing bookings, the website and the newsletter. “I just dive in and figure things out,” she says. “I have a ‘do it right away’ mentality: if something needs to be done, I tackle it.”
She is ambitious and clear about her goals. “The big stage and hearing my own song on the radio,” she says without hesitation. Yet she does not seem driven, but focused and grounded. She recently married her childhood sweetheart. Her husband supports her journey, shares her love of travel and helps her maintain balance between work, music and private life.
“I feel very comfortable at SWISS. I have found my place here,” she says, and every word sounds sincere. One thing is certain: this voice will stay with us for a long time. Perhaps soon on the radio, where she will continue to tell her story.
