Suspension of ZRH service
 

You might have heard by now that CX will cease operations into ZRH effective 1st May. The reason, according the company, is poor demand and unprofitability. Having travelled on this route, I have to say that this is hard to believe, especially when you have problems to get on the flight because it is oversold. Another reason stated is the increased sickness rate of pilots. I really wonder why the company is not capable to tell the truth. Or is this the truth? Any comments? Thanks

bad news for me as I've just booked a CX HKG-ZRH flight in June!!!!

Could you clarify that it is true that they will cease the operation?

IGS.

Looks like you will be protected on to Swiss Air which is a CX codeshare partner on this route.

ES

Just because the flight is overbooked, it doesn't mean that it is making any money.

Just because CX has management and directors, doesn't mean they are competent!

It would probably make sense to suspend a service for a while if you were so short of crew you had no-one to fly your aircraft. It would be even better if you had a cosy code share arrangement with the only other carrier who could service the route (so you could still sell seats on it). Can't think of any other long haul destination where we could get away with it with as little damage. Have the ground staff been laid off??
Announce one week we are doubling fleet size and expanding destinations, then suspend a destination the next week????? It’s all a conspiracy!

"Codeshare" - will shortly show up in dictionaries...

To give away, export of jobs.....

United gave up ZRH - argued that the Swiss prefer SwissAir. Plenty of Y bookings but little Front End types buying tickets. Same went for Glasgow and Madrid.

All "Codeshare" now. Thanks LH for saving us.

You are so right BBD. The other breather they regularly use is delaying 255 until the next day, giving them another 10 hours or so to find a crew. Then instead of sitting around in LHR all day, as per the usual rotation, the A/C spends min time on the ground and returns on schedule. In addition just about every other flight is delayed hence they think they are getting away with the pretence that the airline still has all 4 wheels turning. What do you all think?

[This message has been edited by mole (edited 14 April 2001).]

CX 255 is always a problem!! A few days ago a CX 255 arrived on time at Heathrow but got engine problem and needed to change the No.1 engine. The CX 254 of that day was cancelled and the CX 255 of the next day was cancelled too. Finally the aircraft in concern operate as CX 254 back to HKG on the next day.

It is written in a Swissair puplication from the CEO, that SR was asked to take over since CX has not enough Crew to secure this service any longer.....

They will be asking SQ next to take care of our Asia routes.
"That means we will not have to employ any more pilots, therefore we can stick within our Flight Ops budget and I'll get my management bonus again. Great business acumen".
SL

In order to make many more millions elsewhere, ZRH has now been dropped and 50 % of its employees will be made redundant. After making record profits, that is a great decision of the management...! ZRH staff, you have my sympathy!

There is a pattern in international airlines dropping ZRH and GVA.

I am told the local costs are very high and the year round revenue/yield does not support the operation.

This coupled with the prospect of poor future growth on the route made the route an unattractive investment.

Whilst I sympathise with our collegues in ZRH, (I've been in that position as well) in the 11 or so years of operation, ZRH has not made any profit whatsoever, except when it was tagged with Manchester a few years ago.