After an illustrious career spanning more than 27 years with Swissair and SWISS, the Airbus A321 HB-IOC, fondly known as the ‘Olympic Plane’ due to its IOC (International Olympic Committee) registration, has completed its final flight. As the oldest member of the SWISS fleet, this iconic aircraft holds a special place in aviation history.
With the aircraft now retired, it was flown to Castellón, Spain, where it underwent dismantling. SWISS took this opportunity to initiate a pilot project aimed at exploring sustainable and eco-friendly ways to reuse and recycle various components from the retired plane. This innovative approach not only benefits the environment but also has economic advantages.
Throughout its service, the Airbus A321 HB-IOC, previously named ‘St. Moritz’ during its SWISS days, carried over seven million passengers, completed an impressive 47,000 take-offs and landings, and accumulated over 73,000 hours of revenue-earning flights.
In-line with its commitment to sustainability, SWISS will repurpose many of HB-IOC’s components as spares for the active members of its Airbus A320 family fleet, ensuring optimal utilization. Moreover, parts of the cabin interior will find new life in the Lufthansa Group as they upgrade their cabin simulators.
Emphasizing its comprehensive life cycle management strategy, SWISS will responsibly recycle items that cannot be reused, with a particular focus on reclaiming valuable materials like aluminium and other high-value alloys.
