SWISS rises from Swissair ashes

12 April 2012

FROM the ashes of Swissair, a new flag carrier for Switzerland has risen today. The new national airline of Switzerland will fly under the name of SWISS, said Crossair, the former regional airline that will be used to reconstruct a serious international flag-carrier.

The new airline brand, which will be owned by a holding company called Swiss Air Lines, will be formally launched in October. The company hopes to build on the strong reputation for punctuality and service enjoyed by Swissair before its financial difficulties.

Crossair was the sister company of Swissair and took over many of Swissair's European routes following the carrier's bankruptcy last year, when it was mortally damaged by the sharp drop in air travel after the 11 September terror attacks on the US.

It is unlikely that all aircraft will sport the new name and logo by March, when it launches 26 long-haul and 26 short-haul flights, all previously operated by Swissair, for its summer timetable.

These include the routes from Heathrow to Zurich and Geneva currently flying under Crossair codes. It will also launch flights from London City Airport to Zurich (six daily), Geneva (four daily) and EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (three times daily), all currently served by Crossair. Long-haul routes will include New York and Boston.

Crossair is London City Airport's largest customer and the airport's managing director, Richard Gooding, hopes the name will conjure up the quality and positive image of its predecessors Swissair and Crossair. 'They were two powerful brand names,' he said.

The new airline's intercontinental base will be Zurich, Swissair's main hub, and Crossair's EuroAirport will remain its regional hub. The smart money says SWISS will join BA, American and six other airlines in the one-world alliance, although neither Skyteam nor Star Alliance has been ruled out.

Within the next week a new Belgian international airline should emerge. Following the collapse of Belgian flag-carrier Sabena in early November, low-cost carrier Virgin Express and Delta Air Transport (DAT), formerly a 100% subsidiary of Sabena, are in talks about a merger.

'The conclusions of the working groups will be put to the management and then to the shareholders,' said Virgin Express. DAT was sold for a token euro (61p) to a consortium of private and public shareholders, trading as Airholding.

Virgin Express is 59% owned by Virgin Group Investments and 41% by public shareholders. The two airlines currently code share on seven routes in Europe.

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