Board recommends naming national airline Crossair

There may be no need to repaint the names on Crossair's aircraft Keystone

The board of directors of the regional airline Crossair has recommended calling the new Swiss airline Crossair and basing it in Basel.

The board made its recommendations in the invitation published in Swiss newspapers on Thursday to the company’s extraordinary shareholders’ meeting in Basel on December 6.

The agenda indicates that shareholders are being asked to accept the name “Crossair Ltd” for the company.

Taking into account the new dimension of the airline, to be built around Crossair and the collapsed Swissair, the board has dropped the words “Limited Company for European Regional Transport”.

Change of plan

Until now, there had been speculation that the new airline would have two headquarters, similar to the situation at the UBS financial group, which has headquarters in both Basel and Zurich.

The name of the new company had been open, although it was widely referred to as “New Crossair” to avoid confusion with either Crossair or Swissair.

The agenda, signed by Crossair founder and chairman Moritz Suter, also indicates the nomination of a new board of directors by the steering committee of the new airline.

Former KLM airline head Pieter Bouw of the Netherlands is the nominated chairman, while Suter’s name, as expected, is not listed.

The current Crossair board has taken no position on six of the seven members of the proposed new board but is recommending Claudio Generali, chairman of the Banca del Gottardo in Lugano, for re-election.

In changes to the statutes, Crossair says it intends to take over up to 52 aircraft with equipment valued at a maximum SFr5.2 billion.

The new Crossair would take over 26 long-haul and 26 medium-haul aircraft from Swissair, although the precise number is not yet clear.

Dispute over Suter

The authorities in Basel last week showed their displeasure that Suter had been left off the nominees to the new company’s board of directors.

The half cantons of Basel country and Basel City had asked the steering committee, led by Nestlé chairman, Rainer Gut, for Basel to be represented on the board.

The organisation that represents small and medium-sized enterprises in canton Basel Country said it was furious at the decision not include Suter in the new board.

“It has to be seen as an unacceptable show of strength against a respected management personality and an experienced airline expert, who over the years has proven his ability and achieved notable results,” a communiqué said.

The current Crossair board of directors said it had learned from a media communiqué about the proposals by the steering committee for the new board under Bouw.

“The existing board of directors was not involved in this selection of candidates and had no opportunity to form an opinion on the suitability of the new candidates proposed by the president of the steering committee, Rainer Gut,” a communiqué said.

swissinfo with agencies