Longtime Lufthansa Group executive Jens Fehlinger will become the CEO of Swiss International Air Lines on Oct. 1, the company announced.
The 43-year-old Fehlinger has been with the group since 2006 and has had a variety of management positions, including leading strategy and business development at Lufthansa and operational performance management across the group. He also led the group’s crisis management office during the Covid-19 pandemic. Most recently, Fehlinger has served as co-managing director of regional airline Lufthansa CityLine and managing director of the newly launched Lufthansa City Airlines.
Fehlinger succeeds Dieter Vranckx, who has been Swiss’ CEO since 2021. Vranckx joins the Lufthansa Group executive board effective immediately and also has been named chairperson of the board of SN Airholding—Brussels Airlines’ holding company, whose shares are fully owned by Lufthansa Group—replacing Christina Foerster, who is leaving the company. Vranckx also previously was Brussels Airlines’ CEO.
Swiss chief commercial officer Heike Birlenbach will serve as Swiss’ interim CEO for the next three months prior to Fehlinger taking the role.