Switzerland welcomes all including Easyjet!
“only Easyjet will be able to claim to be the new Flag carrier of Switzerland!!!”
And why not Aviation Trainer too? Let the market and paying passenger decide what size the Full Service Carrier share in and out of Switzerland should be, and what ever else is handled by the Lower Cost Carriers.
Yes “Aviation Trainer too” the resurrection of an airline industry in Switzerland encompassing various support industries and Zurich Unique Airport was important for the Swiss economy. The re-Nationalisation of this industry via Government bail-out money and its arm twisting of Swiss Corporates to pump in a few billion and expand Crossair into SWISS via the Phoenix Plan was flawed from the start. However this strategy to leave behind the many billions owed by Swissair was never a financial and economic construct. It was purely political and a power play by various interest groups.
“the Swiss management doing a great job” and “give management a bit of flexibility in times like this”
Oh please spare us the hype. I don’t quite understand how consciously, deliberately and unilaterally breaking working contracts, lying, deceiving and discriminating against your workforce let alone a policy of ethnic cleansing to rid SWISS of foreign pilots can be considered “doing a great job”. It is the same desperate argument that we often hear from incompetent and failing management the world over that: the end justifies always the means.
And what “bit of flexibility” should be offered to management “in times like this”? To continue on their immoral, unethical and illegal course? Yes by all means let them, but it will not be with impunity and without consequences. SWISS because of its size never had the luxury to ride out a stagnating economy, SARS and an Iraqi conflict. The Board of Directors and senior management are however totally responsible for the current predicament of SWISS. SWISS management could not cope with a more benign environment late 2001 to late 2002, so they will indeed struggle in today’s even tougher times.
“don’t let this happen at SWISS because some unions with the wrong priorities…" and "bacstabbing by employees"
Interesting argument because the 2 pilot unions: SWISS Pilots (ex-Crossair) and Aeropers (ex-Swissair) are both merely trying to protect their members from the big overdue chop. SWISS Pilots, as a last resort in the face of unconscionable management behaviour, have taken the legal course via the Swiss courts. Today it was announced that a Court suggested settlement via negotiation was rejected by SWISS management. Management and all Pilots now await the Court’s final ruling. Management have stated today pre-empting any ruling, that they will ignore any decision they don’t like. Which union has the wrong priority? Is it the union which is arguing for contract observance, legality, fairness and non-discrimination? “Last on, first off” is understood by players all around the world except in Switzerland by SWISS management and Aeropers. In their justification for this deliberate non-observance and contract violation SWISS management call it “benchmarking” and “World’s Best Airline Industry Practice”. This "Bullsh*t baffles Brains" approach is obviously not the best way to build trust especially when you then try to kick out those SWISS pilots who were there in the first place at Crossair and its new name SWISS, when the new guys from the collapsed Swissair were only employed last year in April 2002. This maybe what is meant by "supplying all the information". To date no hard figures, analysis or benchmarking regarding competition and costs has been provided to staff. In fact the decision to create "SWISS express" to spin off the ex-Crossair pilots into a regional subsidiary has been made pre Business Plan without proper analysis.
Swissair collapse, SWISS failure, maybe dear Switzerland third time lucky!? Let's see what Bain & Co come up with with the new Business Plan to be announced late in June. And “Bravo” to Easyjet, the other LCCs, and any other Operator who has a go in Switzerland.