SWISS plans to donate its last A340-300 to Switzerland’s transport museum

SWISS and the Swiss Museum of Transport are working together to preserve one of the airline’s last Airbus A340-300s as a permanent museum exhibit in Lucerne. However, the project still faces significant technical, financial, and logistical hurdles before a final decision can be made.

According to SWISS, once the aircraft reaches the end of its operational life, there are plans to donate it to the museum in Lucerne, where it would be displayed in the outdoor area in front of the Aviation and Space Travel Hall.

The airline has stated that it hopes to have the aircraft in place by early 2028.

End of a four-engined era

The A340-300 has been a fixture of SWISS’ long-haul fleet for years, connecting Switzerland with destinations around the world. 

With its four engines and distinctive silhouette, it became one of the airline’s most recognizable aircraft among both passengers and crew. As the last four-engined type in the SWISS fleet, its retirement will mark the end of an era for the carrier.

SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger remarked that, for many years, the A340 connected people in Switzerland with the world, becoming a piece of Swiss aviation history in its own right. 

He said that the airline’s goal is to bring the aircraft to Lucerne in early 2028, and that the work now centers on coordinating with partners to make the journey possible.

Not just a display — an experience

The plan goes beyond simply parking an aircraft in a courtyard. The museum intends to create a visitor experience inside the aircraft, making it a new centerpiece of its Aviation and Space Travel exhibition. 

The A340 would join another four-engined former long-haul aircraft already in the museum’s collection, a Swissair Convair 990 ‘Coronado’.

For Martin Ettlinger, Director of the Swiss Museum of Transport, having an A340 on site represents a unique chance to preserve an important chapter of Swiss aviation and make it accessible to the public. He has described the aircraft as a tremendous addition to the exhibition, but acknowledged that bringing a plane of this size to Lucerne is an enormous and highly complex undertaking.

Transporting a 125-ton aircraft overland from Zurich to Lucerne

Getting a 125-ton aircraft from Zurich Airport to a museum in Lucerne is no small feat.

The A340 weighs approximately 125 tons and must travel overland from Zurich Airport (ZRH) to Lucerne, be positioned precisely on the museum grounds, and be permanently integrated into the existing exhibition space. That process requires detailed feasibility studies, specialized transport solutions, structural modifications to the site, and close coordination with Swiss authorities.

The airline acknowledges that the financial aspect is equally complex. While SWISS will donate the aircraft itself, the museum will bear the costs of transport, structural work, and creating the visitor experience on board. 

Current estimates put the total cost at a high single-digit million figure, with financing expected to come largely from foundations, patrons and corporate sponsors.

A fundraising committee led by Christoph Franz, President of the Swiss Museum of Transport Association and former CEO of SWISS, is already in discussions with potential supporters.

Financing must be secured by the end of 2026 in order for the project to proceed. Both SWISS and the museum have said that a final decision will only be made once transportation, permits and funding have all been confirmed.

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