only reason we need more airlines is to keep all idle pilots flying in ch
Not really, Middlepath. Pilots residing in Switzerland would also get jobs, enjoy much more employment stability and cost far less to the Swiss tax payers if the so-called "national carrier" could eventually rely on, merge with or be swallowed by a Major, such as BA, LH or even AA (if the Yanks ever feel interested in getting a return on what they invested in the SAirGroup some years ago...).
The present situation is absurd: Swiss has burned 2 Bn Swiss Francs in 2 1/2 years (SR Credit line from grounding to March '02 included), prohibits any serious contender on the market thanks to the heavy subsidies it is burning day after day (1,3 Million CHF a day in 2003) and everybody on board is shivering in fear of the next grounding!
Look at what the Belgian did, once Mario Corti's Swissair Group dumped them in 2001. They sent Sabena in bankruptcy, rescued her small regional DAT operation with a couple hundred millions euros, kept 1'900 people busy (only) and added to the continental network the few long-haul destination which are really profitable. What happened to them? In less than two years, they were not loosing, but earning money and managed to make themselves fit and sexy enough to be bought by Sir Richard Branson... This, in a country with far less high-yield pax as Switzerland.
The Swiss (and Swiss pilots) should stop thinking Swiss and face the reality of the market if they want to develop a sustainable airline business in their own country.