Swiss Close To Frequent Flyer Deal With BA
Switzerland’s national airline, Swiss, which wants to join the Oneworld
global alliance led by British Airways and American Airlines says it is close
to agreement with BA on a joint frequent flyer programme. Full membership of the alliance is seen as crucial to the financial success
of Swiss, the airline formed from the rubble of Swissair and its regional subsidiary,
Crossair. Swiss carried 5.2 million passengers in the first half of this year
at an average seat-occupancy rate of 66.1 per cent - not high enough for long-term
profitability. Swiss already cooperates closely with American Airlines through code sharing
and reciprocal membership of frequent flyer programmes. BA has been reluctant
to match American's treatment of Swiss, which it sees as a competitor on key
transatlantic routes. The spokesman said talks were still continuing over Swiss’s membership
of Oneworld, but he said the agreement with BA was a good sign. Other partners
in the Oneworld alliance include Aer Lingus, Iberia, Cathay Pacific and Qantas. Swiss has been facing major staff problems as it has tried to reconcile vastly
different pay scales among staff inherited from Swissair and Crossair. .
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