Swiss Suspends Shares: Oneworld Or Star Near?

Guest · Mon Sep 22, 2003 7:00 pm

http://www.iii.co.uk/shares/?type=news&articleid=4750828&action=article

British Airways PLC confirmed that talks have been held with Swiss International Air Lines Ltd over the possibility of the Swiss airline joining the BA-led OneWorld alliance.
Earlier today, 'Swiss' shares were suspended on the SWX Swiss Exchange until tomorrow at 2.00 pm at the airline's request.

Weekend press reports suggested the airline's board is meeting today to make a final decision over a possible alliance.

"We've been having discussions with Swiss for quite some time about possible commercial agreements but we cannot comment on the suspension of their shares," a BA spokeswoman told AFX News.

The other option said to be under consideration by the 'Swiss' board is the possibility of joining the Star Alliance, of which Lufthansa AG is a member.

BA's interest in 'Swiss' is understood to have arisen as a result of pressure from OneWorld partner American Airlines, which is said to be concerned about recent negotiations between 'Swiss' and Lufthansa.

Lets Wait and see...

JAL · Mon Sep 22, 2003 8:59 pm

Hopefully, Swiss will choose OneWorld and that BA would not be stupid enought to block their entry.

Guest · Mon Sep 22, 2003 9:27 pm

If BA has confirmed that it has been having talks with Swiss why would it want to block entry to OneWorld?

sk · Mon Sep 22, 2003 9:44 pm

I'm not sure what will come next.

Let us read the following 4 headlines of today or the last weeks together:

1. LH is interested in taking over Swiss an activities are on the way - several facts known (newspaper articel in "Welt am Sonntag")

2. LX shares has been suspended from trading until tomorrow

3. the german chancelor announced that there may be a political way for the problems for ZRH approaches above germany

That's all announced today or yesterday

and the 4th and also interesting points:

4. LX suspended some very interesting routes which LH wanted to suspend them - the last suspended route had been ZRH-IAD - will we see UA in ZRH again?

So - everybody is allowed to think and/or wish what he/she wants, but for my opinion it's a pretty clear picture of what will happen. But we will se in a few hours - or maybe not Wink/being sarcastic

RJ100 · Mon Sep 22, 2003 9:48 pm

Latest news is that a final decision will be made.
There will be a press conference tomorrow morning.

RJ100

747firstclass · Mon Sep 22, 2003 11:31 pm

It would seem to me that there are the same problems facing a BA/Swiss merger as there was with a BA/KL merger.
Problem is that BA does not have an opesnkies with the US and Swiss has said that ws a problem in times past. Swiss would lose the ability to do things it can do now if it got taken over by BA.
With a takeover by LH those issues do not come into play.
On the other hand there may be enough pressure by AA for BA to do something drastic to keep from losing ground to other alliances. ZRH would give BA a place to move some long haul flights etc. so that slots at LHR can be opeend up for an eventual openskies and an AA/BA anti trust immunity.
So I think this Swiss deal is to close to call which alliance it will join. Though I give a slight edge to Star Alliance. It is interesting that they are dropping the IAD-ZRH flight. We shall see.

CV990 · Tue Sep 23, 2003 2:06 am

Hi!

I think we've seen a "lot of noise" about the possibility of SWISS beeing absorved by LH when infact it doesn't look that clear. I know that now AF and KL are getting together the bigger airlines want to find out their partners too in Europe, of course we're not talking about small airlines like TAP, Aer Lingus or others but medium to large airlines like SWISS, Alitalia, Iberia etc. I think because SWISS already have a strong code-share with AA and BA also is in the same aliance with AA it's almost clear that SWISS could actually joint BA instead of LH, we'll but it looks clear to me that BA is closer than LH, and if we want to compare BA is way better than LH!!!
Regards

teahan · Tue Sep 23, 2003 2:56 am

A decision has been taken and a media conference will take place in Hangar 3 of the SR Technics maintenance base at Zurich Airport, tomorrow at 10:00.

Any final bets?

Jeremiah

SInGAPORE_AIR · Tue Sep 23, 2003 3:02 am

SR Technics maintenance... interesting name. Well some things don't change so quickly.

I bet on Star Alliance. I'll donate £0.10 to Airliners.net if I lose.

Swiss International Air Lines - A Member of Star Alliance? - The Airline Network For Earth (No exclamation mark) Big grin

CV990 · Tue Sep 23, 2003 3:12 am

Hi!

OK, it's bet time!!! I'll personally cook a swiss fondu ( with true emmenthal and gruyere & kirch ) to anyone that wants to come buy by place in Lisbon/Portugal if SWISS doens't go to ONE WORLD!!! I'll do it portuguese style, with portuguese bread but also with peeled shrimp!
Regards

Britair · Tue Sep 23, 2003 3:15 am

My money is on oneworld too Smile

teahan · Tue Sep 23, 2003 3:20 am

Singapore_Air,

What about this.

IF they do join Star Alliance, I'll add you to my RU list (unless you have some better suggestion?) . If on the other hand, they join OneWorld, you cannot make a single post about Singapore Airlines (or Singapore Airlines Ltd., or Singapore Airlines, A Member of Star Alliance or whatever other names you like to call them) for one whole month.

Jeremiah

SInGAPORE_AIR · Tue Sep 23, 2003 3:25 am

Waaaaaa!

I dunno. What if I lose. Think of the emotion building up that can't be unleashed and heard?!

How about a week? Big grin

ZRH · Tue Sep 23, 2003 4:59 am

CV990: Like you I hope, bet and pray for Oneworld.
BTW don't ever put Emmental cheese into a fondue. This is ugly and really the wrong one Wink/being sarcastic

(for fondue: Gruyere, Raclette, Vacherin fribourgois and perhaps Appenzeller)

CV990 · Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:06 am

Hi ZRH!

It's good to have some fondue clues in the middle of what aliance SWISS will join! Well about the Emmental I got that from a swiss, but I understand fondue change from canton to canton! I tried already the Appenzeller once ( actually when I return to Portugal this December I stop by Herisau so I hope to have another one.... ) and the Vacherin Fribourgois, both very good, the Appenzeller was more active but tasty, the Vacherin was more soft but also very, very good. Now one question to a connaiseur, can I use Tilziter on the fondue too? Because that cheese is just fantastic, and you have to agree the OLD Emmental just plain with bred is awsome right?
Well I wait your feedback and we'll celebrate both when SWISS joint the One World!
regards

Richard28 · Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:13 am

Swiss also announced that it is stopping its Washington service.

BA's original objection, as I understand it, to Swiss joining oneworld was competition on the same (north atlantic) routes.

Removing Washington is maybe a sign of Swiss caving in to BA pressure on entry to oneworld?

ZRH · Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:24 am

Sorry guys I have to answer CV990 although it is of topic, but I don't have his e-mail. @CV990: yes you could use Tilsiter. The problem with Emmentaler is that this cheese makes strong strings and it is not nice to eat.
Sorry again guys, but CV990, you could write me an e-mail and we can discuss without bothering the other members Smile/happy/getting dizzy

You find my address in my profile.

Unique · Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:36 am

Removing Washington is maybe a sign of Swiss caving in to BA pressure on entry to oneworld?

That's an excellent thought! Could well be as entering OneWorld will not be cheap...

Guest · Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:40 am

If its Star Alliance I will take user "Teahan" off my respect list.

If its One World I will buy user "Teahan" a half price bus ticket next time he comes to Geneva. Big grin

Tim

gerardo · Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:00 am

Just for the bettings sake: My money is on LH/Star.

Just a detail: neither LH nor BA would take over LH completely, due to problems with open skies / bilateral agreements. It's only about a partial take over, up to 49%.

My bet: a genuine Fondue recipe Wink/being sarcastic

Cheers
Gerardo

CV990 · Tue Sep 23, 2003 7:37 am

Hi!

I'm starting to be anxious here due to the fondue!!! ZRH I'll contact you asap ok?
Now if SWISS pulled out of IAD they still have North Atlantic routes competing with BA, does that mean that SWISS will have to give up of all their routes and maintain only JFK both from ZRH and GVA? I think there's still space for SWISS to keep some of their routes like LAX, Montreal, MIA right?
Regards and I'm seeing the fondue in the end of the tunnel already!!!

Businessflyer · Tue Sep 23, 2003 10:22 am

The Financial Times is reporting that Swiss is set to join OneWorld. BA is not going to take an equity stake in Swiss but will buy a significant number of Swiss's slots at Heathrow giving Swiss an immediate cash injection...

ORD Boy 2 · Tue Sep 23, 2003 12:06 pm

IHT is saying theres a deal between the pilots of SWISS and LH so my money is on Star

JAL777 · Tue Sep 23, 2003 1:15 pm

Only a few more hours to go... no news yet??

Guest · Tue Sep 23, 2003 1:45 pm

Swiss public radio RSR reports that OneWorld is the winner Big grin

The Financial times online also reports that OneWorld has won. I'll try and get some links up.

Tim

Guest · Tue Sep 23, 2003 1:59 pm

Some links:

Financial Times Germany (In German)
http://www.ftd.de/ub/di/1064044987767.html?nv=hptn

NZZ (Zurich, Switzerland)
http://www.nzz.ch/2003/09/22/wi/page-newzzDKW7HOJ0-12.html
First link in German, second link in English.
http://www.nzz.ch/2003/09/23/english/page-synd4265427.html

Le Matin (Lausanne, Switzerland)
http://www.lematin.ch/nwmatinhome/nwmatinheadactu/actu_suisse/swiss__le_suspense.html

FT.Com (London, UK)
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1059480030880

TravelBiz (Australia)
http://www.travelbiz.com.au/articles/e6/0c01a2e6.asp

USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2003/09/22-swiss-future.htm

Thats all I could find which is free on the web, but I'm sure there are loads more,

Cheers,
Tim

[Edited 2003-09-23 07:00:36]

Guest · Tue Sep 23, 2003 2:27 pm

From http://www.Justplanes.com

Swiss
Will make an announcement at 1000 this morning about its future plans. It is expected that Swiss will announce that it will not join Lufthansa and Star Alliance in favor or joining British Airways and Oneworld. BA will acquire slots at London Heathrow Airport from Swiss and the 2 airlines will enter an extensive codesharing agreement. Swiss already has agreements with several Oneworld members including American, Cathay and Qantas.

Tim

StevenUhl777 · Tue Sep 23, 2003 2:36 pm

oneworld it is...Didn't Swissair belong to oneworld before they folded and gave rise to Swiss? Or was it just a codeshare? I think those ties are the reason for their decision today.

gerardo · Tue Sep 23, 2003 3:12 pm

Swissair was not member of Oneworld. They had codeshares with most Oneworld airlines, just as SWISS now. But Oneworld was always said to be the best option for either Swissair or SWISS.

Cheers
Gerardo

star_member · Tue Sep 23, 2003 3:17 pm

SWISS will not survive with BA and Oneworld. BA is only interested in stripping SWISS of its slots at LHR. It is clear they have no interest in the future development of SWISS. However, I don't think Star needs to add SWISS to their network, they already have a strong presence in central Europe with Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines Group and very soon LOT

aussie747 · Tue Sep 23, 2003 3:34 pm

ONE WORLD IT IS!!

Good for me personally a lot of people ex Australia hate having to go through LHR just to get to ZRH. now either LX or QF will perhaps now fly direct to ZRH and hey presto (save at least 4 hours as well)

gerardo · Tue Sep 23, 2003 3:40 pm

LX or QF flying SYD-ZRH directly? There's a song about this: "Dream another dream, this dream is over" Wink/being sarcastic

You can still fly LX to SIN or BKK and either BA or QF to SYD.

Gerardo

Unique · Tue Sep 23, 2003 4:47 pm

LX or QF flying SYD-ZRH directly? There's a song about this: "Dream another dream, this dream is over"

Fact is that even SR had traffic rights to fly Switzerland - Australia since many years! They never did as it was not economical. QF was considering ZRH about 3 or 4 years ago (I've even applied for a job) but dropped it in favour of CDG.

It's not so odd to get a direct flight down under (this way I'm in NZ much quicker Smile/happy/getting dizzy

)

airways · Tue Sep 23, 2003 4:56 pm

QF and LX do already have a codeshare via FRA. And I don't think that they're going to change that in the near future. But it would be cool to see Qantas here in ZRH.

Michael
http://airsider.net

Guest · Tue Sep 23, 2003 4:56 pm

For me it's clear: LH shouldn't buy LX (or SR, anyway). Oneworld should get it.
Not good for LX but LH.
We can count the days till LX collapses.

JGPH1A · Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:04 pm

Kiss LX goodbye then - I would guess that BA only wants them for the slots at LHR, and to get rid of a competitor to Africa and the Middle East. With no management input and no financial share in LX, BA cannot lose on this deal. I don't see the deal doing LX any good - they already codeshare with virtually everyone in Oneworld, BA can't turn them into another Air Lib or DI because of Switzerland is not in the EU (don't know what the agreement was that Switzerland signed with the EU, but I don't think its THAT liberal).

Swiss Suspends Shares: Oneworld Or Star Near?

Swiss Suspends Shares: Oneworld Or Star Near?

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