United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
No-frills put pressure on Swiss
Ailing carrier Swiss says intense competition from no-frills airlines is behind a raft of drastic measures announced this week to secure its future.
Swiss will cut its staff by up to 1,000 by the middle of next year and cut its fleet by at least 13 aircraft.
The carrier intends to focus on its more profitable routes operating out of Zurich and will relinquish flights out of Geneva and Basel to codeshare carriers such as British Airways.
The airline hopes the initiatives will reduce costs by CHF 300 million by 2007, and says that without these measure it would fail to make profit this year. Swiss general manager for the UK, Ireland and the Nordics, Sarah Built said: “This strategy of focusing on profitable markets and competitive costs makes sound business sense.”
The news came on the same day that easyJet announced a new European base at Basel. The carrier already operates flights from Basel to Berlin, Liverpool, London Stansted and London Luton, but plans to increase destinations out of the airport to 10 over the summer.
Report by Ginny McGrath
Related News Stories:
Ginny McGrath
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Tricia Handley-Hughes of Inteletravel announces the location for the TravelQuest 2025 conference
Insights from James Ferrara on Inteletravel’s Growth and Future
Tricia Handley-Hughes on Inteletravel’s Growth and Challenges
Tony from Gatto’s Pizza on Columbus’s Unique Pizza Trail
Sophia Hyder Hock on Global Social Inclusion in Tourism
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Woman dies after getting ‘entangled’ in baggage carousel
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Protestors now targeting Amsterdam cruise calls