Swissair grounding
0921-en WI100 Business Literature As of 11.07.2026
On 2 October 2001 the Swissair fleet remained on the ground because funds for fuel and charges were lacking. The causes were the aggressive acquisition policy known as the hunter strategy, heavy losses at the foreign airlines acquired, and the crisis following the attacks of 11 September. The Confederation, the cantons and business financed the creation of the successor Swiss, which was taken over by Lufthansa in 2005. The grounding shook the country's self-image and prompted an intense debate on corporate governance and the liability of company officers.
Deutsch
Swissair-Grounding 0921-de
Am 2. Oktober 2001 blieb die Flotte der Swissair am Boden, weil die Mittel für Treibstoff und Gebühren fehlten. Ursache waren die aggressive Beteiligungsstrategie der Hunter-Strategie, hohe Verluste bei den erworbenen Auslandsgesellschaften und die Krise nach den Anschlägen vom 11. September. Bund, Kantone und Wirtschaft finanzierten den Aufbau der Nachfolgerin Swiss, die 2005 von der Lufthansa übernommen wurde. Das Grounding erschütterte das nationale Selbstverständnis und führte zu einer intensiven Debatte über Corporate Governance und Verantwortlichkeit der Organe.
Suggested citation
Swissair grounding (0921-en), in: LAWPEDIA®-Glossar, provided by LAWCONSULT AG, www.lawconsult.ch/lawpedia/en/swissair-grounding, as of: 11.07.2026 [accessed on …].
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