"Suter's model" would have been based on rationality. It doesn't necessarily need to be under Suter. For those who know the international economy: UBS is the biggest Swiss bank, with the best profit margins. They never take over a project if they are not sure about the profit. That's why Ospel paid 300 Mio CHF for Crossair and wanted to continue a prospering aviation industry. On the other hand there is Rainer E. Gut, Credit Suisse, representative of the Zurich branch of the party FDP, who is much more of a politician than a manager. Should I explain you the good relationship between Ex-Aeropers member Brennwald (COO of Swiss) and Rainer E. Gut?
Now how should someone else found a new company beside Swiss and run it succesfull? Would they get the money? Would they get the political support? Wouldn't they be suppressed immediatly by Swiss and LH? Helvetic tried it very hard, but had no chance against Swiss. The market in Switzerland is good, but not good enough for two main carrier! We had just one chance to save an aviation industry in Switzerland, and we did terribly wrong.
Concerning SPA wanting the same as Aeropers: Of course you have to suit them for the same, but they never wanted to earn as much as Swissair pilots. Of course they would have liked to, but they where always very modest and realistic. That's why they have so few problems to get jobs somewhere else (unlike some Swissair pilots...!)
Thomas Häderli didn't want to be so radical, but they let him no choice. They wanted to sack all of Crossair, so he fought back. A compromise was never found. And every compromise that was offered was used to sack some more. Give every Crossair pilot a job like his old Crx job and he will accept. Like all Darwin pilots do.
Gretchen, deep in your heart you know, that the only chance for a succesful airline would have laid in modesty, rationality and efficiency. Swiss' patriotism played a big role in all this and lead to a failure. I agree that we should accept the past. But let's at least learn out of our faults. To do it better next time (if there should be one).
Dani
Last edited by Dani; 18th Jan 2006 at 13:27.