DALLAS — Today in Aviation, Swiss airline Business Flyer Basel AG changed its name to Crossair (LX) in 1978. The airline would later become SWISS.
Business Flyer was established on February 14, 1975, by businessmen and pilots Moritz Sutter and Peter Kalt. The pair purchased a Cessna 320 and a Piper L-4 and commenced limited air taxi services in 1976.
Scheduled Flights Commence
On July 2, 1979, LX commenced its first scheduled flights from Zurich (ZRH) to Nuremberg (NUE), Innsbruck (INN), and Klagenfurt (KLU).
The expansion was steady as the airline added the larger Swearingen Metroliner to the fleet. The airline then picked up routes dropped by Swissair (SR). To operate these new services, ten 33-seat Saab 340s were ordered in October 1980.
The type, known as the ‘Cityliner’ joined the fleet in 1984 and would remain with the airline until 2002.
Swissair Tie-up
Crossair signed an initial agreement to operate limited services for SR in 1986. This agreement led to the flag carrier taking a majority stake in the company in 1991.
The airline became the launch customer of the Embraer E170 and E190 in 1999 after placing a firm order for 30 with options on a further 100. Sadly, the type would never enter service. On March 31, 2002, Swissair was declared bankrupt.
Following a significant restructuring, Crossair took over the defunct carrier’s assets and was later renamed Swiss International Air Lines (LX).
Featured image: Crossair Avro RJ 100; HB-IXM. Photo: Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons