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
Birth, death and resurrection, from Swissair to Swiss.
This content was published on October 1, 2011 - 11:16
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.
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