Lufthansa & Swiss "To Unite"

L-1011 · Post by **L-1011** » 15 Mar 2005, 18:46

Avro wrote:
sn26567 wrote:An article in La Tribune de Genève this morning lists SN BA as one of the next candidates for a take over, along with Iberia (by BA), SAS and Austrian (also by LH).
I agree and BA will certainly be the one "buying" SN.

Chris

Indeed! If LH gets LX then OneWorld needs to strengthen in Europe aswell , and BA needs to grow.
They certainly can't afford IB, but a small one like SN

Just My 2€cents,

Wait and see
TriStar

HorsePower · Post by **HorsePower** » 15 Mar 2005, 19:50

and BA needs to grow. They certainly can't afford IB, but a small one like SN

BA already holds 9.9% of IB. BA is more interested by IB than SN. For the moment, they can't afford it, they are looking to decrease their debt first (they dropped recently their 17% equity into Qantas). But IB herself got some money and is looking forward to invest in some latin american carriers (Mexicana as prefered choice and Aerolineas Argentinas as second). About other European's airlines take over possibility, BMI is also well placed.

My 0.02€ 8)

Seb.

HorsePower · Post by **HorsePower** » 15 Mar 2005, 20:13

On a side note:
The LX share price have dropped to 10.35FS on monday (-0.5%).
The LX share price have dropped to 9.7FS on tuesday (-6.3%)

Seb.

cathayoneworld · Post by **cathayoneworld** » 16 Mar 2005, 10:33

LX has got many oneworld partner but why they choose to be with a Star Alliance member? If LX fails to merge into Lufthansa group, will BA or other oneworld members invite LX back into oneworld or even take over it? I think BA and AA will not be happy to lose their partner because AA and other oneworld member use to codeshare with LX.

If Lufthansa leaves star and joins oneworld, that will be GREAT!

Post by **sn26567** » 16 Mar 2005, 14:40

cathayoneworld wrote:I think BA and AA will not be happy to lose their partner because AA and other oneworld member use to codeshare with LX.

BA already severed the link with LX. AA keeps it by necessity, but I doubt it will stay there for long. Expect UA to fly to ZRH soon.

bits44 · Post by **bits44** » 22 Mar 2005, 13:43

Today is announcement day for Swissair

http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=339

AFApresident · Post by **AFApresident** » 22 Mar 2005, 17:11

A little late this news .. but on sunday i heared on the swiss radio that in a poll 53% of the swiss people are in favor of Lufthansa taking over Swiss, about 19% were undecided and 38% against.

In the french speaking part of switzerland people seem less excited with only 44% in favor of such a take over.

Personally I think it will be the only way for Swiss to survive, unless they really want to shrink to something even smaller than SN.

Post by **sn26567** » 22 Mar 2005, 17:38

A few minutes ago, Lufthansa announced that the supervisory boards of Lufthansa, Swiss and the majority of the large shareholders decided to support the takeover project.

SicilianFalcon · Post by **SicilianFalcon** » 22 Mar 2005, 18:50

I wonder wil the buy back the swissair name and reapply it or will they consume them into Lufthansa Switzerland.

Just shows there really is no such thing as national flag carriers anymore.
Everyone buying everyone.

8) Forza

Boeing767copilot · Post by **Boeing767copilot** » 22 Mar 2005, 18:56

Data on Lufthansa and SWISS

Last year, 50.9 million passengers traveled with Lufthansa to 176 destinations, 9.2 million with SWISS to 70 destinations. The Lufthansa Group employs about 90,000 employees and operates a fleet of 377 aircraft (consolidated fleet). The SWISS Group with 7,900 employees currently operates 80 aircraft (total fleet).

Anticipated timetable

March 2005 Acquisition of a minority shareholding in SWISS
May 2005 Public takeover offer to the free-float shareholders
3rd quarter 2005 Acquisition of shares in SWISS of up to 49% after receiving cartel-law clearance from the European Commission
October 30, 2005 Gradual operative integration from the 2005/2006 winter flight schedule
2006/2007 Complete takeover of SWISS after securing
traffic rights

Today, March 22, 2005, 8 p.m.
Contract signing at the Hilton hotel, Glattbrugg, Zurich
with Lufthansa Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber,
SWISS CEO Christoph Franz, and SWISS Chairman Pieter Bouw

March 23, 2005, 8 a.m.
Media breakfast in the Hilton hotel, Glattbrugg, Zurich
with Lufthansa Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber,
SWISS CEO Christoph Franz, and SWISS Chairman Pieter Bouw

March 23, 2005, 11 a.m.
Press conference on the financial statements of Deutsche Lufthansa AG in the Lufthansa Flight Training Center in Frankfurt with Lufthansa Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber and CFO Dr. Karl-Ludwig Kley

Established02 · Post by **Established02** » 22 Mar 2005, 19:38

How is the new LH-LX venture going to affect SN's operations to Switzerland?

SN currently operates all BRU-GVA connections, code sharing with LX.

LX currently operates all ZRH-BRU and BSL-BRU flights, code sharing with SN.

It may be unlikely that SN will be able to continue its codeshare agreement with LX, now that it will be taken over by LH.

leopoldm · Post by **leopoldm** » 22 Mar 2005, 23:52

According to TSR, one of the national Swiss TV broadcasts, it all speeded up at the end beceause an Arab sheik, who's also owner of Emirates, was prepared to pay much more than Lufthansa did finally ...

Leopold

Post by **sn26567** » 23 Mar 2005, 10:18

leopoldm wrote:According to TSR, one of the national Swiss TV broadcasts, it all speeded up at the end beceause an Arab sheik, who's also owner of Emirates, was prepared to pay much more than Lufthansa did finally ...

If it is true, I am surprised that the Swiss bankers did not accept the offer: they lost already so much in trying to get Swiss afloat!

sn-remember · Post by **sn-remember** » 23 Mar 2005, 10:49

Andre wrote

If it is true, I am surprised that the Swiss bankers did not accept the offer

The Swiss know what they want for their airline and for zrh:
a major airline and a major hub.
To the credit of the swiss bankers (and other actors in the public sphere), they paid the price for it and found the best possible solution for it.
There was NO alternative
Well played the swiss

B744skipper · Post by **B744skipper** » 23 Mar 2005, 10:57

I have the feeling that this is a new episode in the European aviation market, with airlines consolidating with each other.
Just like in the USA in the '70's and '80's, when a lot airlines merged, took over each other.
Will the same happen here? Which airlines will we see merge/take over next? How many "national" carriers will be left in Europe?

I really wonder how the aviation scene would look like in Europe, in about 10 to 15 years time.

Post by **sn26567** » 23 Mar 2005, 14:10

Established02 wrote:How is the new LH-LX venture going to affect SN's operations to Switzerland?

SN currently operates all BRU-GVA connections, code sharing with LX.

LX currently operates all ZRH-BRU and BSL-BRU flights, code sharing with SN.

It may be unlikely that SN will be able to continue its codeshare agreement with LX, now that it will be taken over by LH.

A response published on the Swiss television in French language TSR website:

Des liens existent d'ailleurs toujours entre SNBA et Swiss puisque les deux compagnies travaillent en code-share sur Genève et Zurich. Le rachat de Swiss par Lufthansa ne pose pas de problème à SNBA à ce niveau, a expliqué un porte-parole interrogé par l'ats. Il a dit espéré la poursuite de cette collaboration.

The spokesman for SWISS said he hoped the cooperation would continue. Maybe the takeover by LH could even improve service in Y class!

Mighty · Post by **Mighty** » 23 Mar 2005, 14:56

I found the following article...

so Quote :

The supervisory board of Lufthansa and the board of directors of Swiss International Air Lines yesterday approved the business model jointly developed by both companies for the takeover and integration of SWISS into the Lufthansa Group.
Anticipated timetable
March 2005 = Acquisition of a minority shareholding in SWISS
May 2005 = Public takeover offer to the free-float shareholders
3rd quarter 2005 = Acquisition of shares in SWISS of up to 49% after receiving cartel-law clearance from the European Commission
October 30, 2005 = Gradual operative integration from the 2005/2006 winter flight schedule
2006/2007 = Complete takeover of SWISS after securing traffic rights

Mighty · Post by **Mighty** » 23 Mar 2005, 14:58

And in our own news.... (forgot to look for that.....)

https://www.aviation24.be/article8112.html

Jumbolino · Post by **Jumbolino** » 23 Mar 2005, 21:18

Glad to present you the future Y Class service of Swiss made by Lufthansa
http://coppermine.luchtzak.be/displayim ... ?pos=-4401

:cheers:

PS: look careful - every pax will get "Weisswuerste und 'ne Mass"
PPS: as I have enough Album and I won't delete one I mixed it up into one which isn't named too bad for this purpose

Post by **luchtzak** » 24 Mar 2005, 00:18

Lol Jumbolino!