Andrew Doyle/MUNICH
Swissair is transferring the bulk of its Geneva-based services to regional subsidiary Crossair in a bid to cut costs and allow frequencies to be boosted on a large number of routes through the use of smaller aircraft.
From the start of this year's summer timetable, Crossair will take over flights to Athens, Madrid, Rome and Lisbon, leaving Swissair aircraft serving only New York, London, Moscow and Zurich from Geneva. The two airlines, together with their codeshare partners and other Qualiflyer Group carriers, serve 35 destinations from Geneva.
Extra flights to be added from Geneva this summer include an additional weekly connection to Tel Aviv, operated under a codeshare with El Al, three daily services to Vienna to be flown by Air Littoral, and a daily flight to Rome operated by Crossair. Meanwhile, Crossair has restructured its network, dropping flights from Basle to Dresden and Prague and has shelved its new Helsinki route. Plans to increase frequencies have been abandoned.
"While Swissair's smallest aircraft has 120 seats, the smaller aircraft of Crossair and other partners are ideal for serving certain destinations several times a day," says Swissair. The changes remain subject to approval by Crossair's board, which meets on 30 March.
Crossair will transfer to Geneva capacity freed by its decision to rein in growth on some routes from its Basle hub and by accelerating deliveries of Embraer RJ-145 regional jets. Orders for the 50-seater are being increased by 10 to 25.
Source: Flight International
