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Founded in 1931, Swissair was founded through the merger of Ad Astra Aero and Balair and was the flag carrier of Switzerland. Swissair served destinations throughout Europe during the 1930s. Operations were sporadic during World War II and ceased toward the end of the war but resumed shortly after in 1945. Transatlantic service to New York was inaugurated in 1947 using the Douglas DC-4, and by the early 1950s, the airline operated the more advanced Douglas DC-6B on the route. During the decade, the airline grew to be one of the most successful in Europe. This was, in part, the result of concentrating on the most lucrative, high-traffic routes, such as the North Atlantic, with its potential to attract large numbers of tourists going to Europe. During the early 1960s, Swissair introduced Douglas DC-8 and Convair 990 jetliners, which provided nonstop transatlantic service to Europe in as little as six-and-one-half hours. In 1980, Swissair introduced the McDonnell Douglas MD-80. An overaggressive acquisition strategy of smaller airlines led Swissair to declare bankruptcy in 2002. Crossair subsequently took over the name Swiss International Air Lines and became Switzerland's flag carrier. Following a buyout completed in 2007, Swiss International has been as a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group.
This image was posted on November 17, 2022.