This article from NYTimes.com has been sent to you by psa188@juno.com. /-------------------- advertisement -----------------------\ Share the spirit with a gift from Starbucks. Our coffee brewers & espresso machines at special holiday prices. http://www.starbucks.com/shop/subcategory.asp?category_name=Sale/Clearance&ci=274&cookie_test=1 \----------------------------------------------------------/ Key Vote for New Switzerland Airline January 14, 2002 By ELIZABETH OLSON GENEVA, Jan. 13 - The effort to organize a new national airline for Switzerland passed a crucial test today when voters in Zurich agreed to invest $181 million in Crossair, the company seeking to absorb the bankrupt flag carrier Swissair. The vote is part of the country's ambitious plan to reclaim its standing in international aviation. To do so, the smaller regional carrier Crossair would take over a significant part of Swissair, whose finances, already shaky from the failure of an ill-fated European expansion plan, collapsed late last year as international air passenger traffic dried up after September's attacks. The Swiss government, major businesses and the biggest Swiss cantons, or provinces, have worked to patch together money to salvage a national airline from the remnants of Swissair and save thousands of jobs. The plan to take over about two- thirds of Swissair's routes by the end of March hinged on voters in Zurich because the canton had pledged the largest part of the regional governments' financial commitment. Other cantons said they would support the project, generally regarded as high risk, only if the Zurich electorate agreed. Crossair, based in Basel, was jubilant over the outcome. Its chief operating officer, André Dosé, called it a "huge vote of confidence" and said it furthered the plan to "develop a new national airline with an additional 26 short-haul and 26 long-haul aircraft." A no vote would have meant reducing the scale of the takeover plan, possibly leaving the new Swiss airline as a made-over Crossair with few long-haul routes. The future of a new air service has run up against the obligations Swissair accrued when it bought money- losing stakes in other European carriers. Creditors have confiscated its planes, most recently in December when French authorities in Nice seized a plane to pay part of $55 million they say is owed by Swissair. Crossair's board plans to meet on Monday to review possible names for the prospective new airline. It is considering names like Air Switzerland or Swiss Airlines. The name Swissair will probably be jettisoned to try to avoid collections by creditors. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/14/business/worldbusiness/14AIR.html?ex=1012034425&ei=1&en=e7341e5d6263dbb6 HOW TO ADVERTISE --------------------------------- For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact Alyson Racer at alyson@nytimes.com or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help@nytimes.com. Copyright 2001 The New York Times Company