Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has equipped its entire Boeing 777-300ER fleet with sharkskin technology from Lufthansa Technik and the chemical company BASF.

Applied to the fuselage and engine nacelles, the AeroSHARK surface film mimics the flow-optimising characteristics of sharkskin, reducing drag during flight and contributing to lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

All 12 modified Boeing 777 aircraft have been in service with SWISS since this month, and it is the first time that an entire Boeing long-haul fleet of an airline has been optimised with the new technology.

AeroSHARK consists of about 50 micrometers of fine riblets, optimising the aerodynamics of the aircraft with a 1% reduction in flight drag. Therefore, less fuel is required, and emissions are reduced.

The world’s first AeroSHARK scheduled flight took place in October 2022, and with its gradually upgraded fleet, SWISS saved over 2,200 tonnes of kerosene and around 7,100 metric tonnes of CO2 in 2023.

The last remaining aircraft was fitted with AeroSHARK at the beginning of May 2024, which means that all SWISS Boeing 777s are now modified with this innovative technology.

Claus Bauer, head of technical fleet management at SWISS, said: “We are very pleased with the results that we have achieved with AeroSHARK to date.

“We’re proud too, to be the first airline in the world to have equipped an entire aircraft fleet with this innovative technology. Each aircraft takes about a week to have its AeroSHARK film applied, which requires high-precision workmanship from our personnel.

“I am delighted that our commitment to this technology is delivering such positive results and is enabling us at SWISS to take a further substantial step in making our flight operations more sustainable.”

Sören Stark, chief executive of Lufthansa Technik, said: “Equipping the entire SWISS Boeing 777 fleet with AeroSHARK marks a milestone on the way to lower emissions in aviation.

“Even supposedly small technical innovations can make an important contribution to reducing CO2 emissions when flying.

“The fuel-saving effect of the bionic film has been confirmed in more than 60,000 flight hours at SWISS alone. This is the result of hard work, intensive research and a strong partnership between Lufthansa Technik and BASF.

“We are proud of this and want to continue to play an active role in shaping the transformation of aviation.”

At the end of 2022, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) granted Lufthansa Technik the approval for the series conversion of two Boeing 777 aircraft types with AeroSHARK after an extensive examination process.

A total of 17 Lufthansa Group aircraft have already been modified with AeroSHARK and the number is growing. Lufthansa Technik and BASF state they intend to continue developing AeroSHARK for other aircraft types and larger areas to support airlines worldwide in achieving their emission targets.

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