End of a myth

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A Swissair DC4 flies over New York in the 1940s (RDB, photomontage) RDB

Loading a plane at Zurich airport in 1948 (RDB) RDB

The Rolling Stones arriving in Zurich in April 1967 (Keystone) Keystone

Airline attendants looking after younger passengers in Zurich in 1959 (RDB) RDB

Advertising travel abroad: Philippines, 1971, Photo: Georg Gerster, Design: Emil Schulthess/Hans Frei. North America, 1964, Design: Manfred Bingler. (Swiss Transport Museum, Lucerne) Verkehrsmuseum Luzern

The crash of a Swissair Caravelle aircraft in September 1963 in Dürrenäsch, canton Aargau, killed 80 people. Forty-three of the victims came from Humlikon in canton Zurich, around one fifth of the village's inhabitants at the time (RDB) RDB

A Convair CV-990 Coronado crashed in Würenlingen, canton Zurich, on its way to Tel Aviv on February 21, 1970. The crash was caused by a Palestinian terrorist bomb that exploded in the cargo hold, killing 38 passengers and nine crew members (RDB) RDB

Fine dining on board with silverware and porcelain, 1984 (RDB) RDB

Waiting for Pope John Paul II in Sion, canton Valais, in June 1984 (RDB) RDB

Swissair was a sponsor of the Swiss national ski team. Giant slalom ace Michael von Grünigen strikes a pose in 1999 (Keystone) Keystone

One year after the 1998 crash of Swissair flight 111, relatives gather near Halifax, Canada, to remember their loved ones (Keystone) Keystone

March 13, 2001: Swissair faces its biggest financial crisis yet as investors dump their SAirGroup shares (Keystone) Keystone

October 2, 2001: all Swissair flights are cancelled. Reporters record the announcement at Zurich airport (Keystone) Keystone

Swissair CEO Mario Corti and Swiss Finance Minister Kaspar Villiger speaking at a press conference in Bern on October 3, 2001 (Keystone) Keystone

Stranded passengers, October 3, 2001 (Keystone) Keystone

Employees after an information session to explain planned job cuts on December 3, 2001 (Keystone) Keystone

Breaking down a myth, March 2002 (Keystone) Keystone

360,000 sets of first-class knives and forks, 120,000 crystal glasses and much more went on auction in October 2002 (Keystone) Keystone

Hundreds of aircraft, including two Swissair MD-11s, wait for buyers in California's Mojave Desert (Keystone) Keystone

The new Swiss International Airlines logo is added to aircraft in May 2002 (Keystone) Keystone

In 2005, Germany's Lufthansa takes over Swiss but keeps the company flying under its own name (Keystone) Keystone

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Birth, death and resurrection, from Swissair to Swiss.

The grounding of Swissair on October 2, 2001, was the end of national myth and a dark day in Swiss aviation history. Ten years later, Swiss International Airlines has taken over the mantle of national carrier and soared back into profits under the aegis of Germany’s Lufthansa.