Business News of Monday, 14 January 2002

Source: Joy

Swissair Ghana Fires All Staff

All employees in the Ghana office of the bankrupt Swiss National Airline, Swissair have been sacked. Letters terminating their appointments have already been issued ahead of the Airline’s liquidation on 30th March, this year. The General Manager of Swissair Ghana, Alvan-Slaven however says majority of the staff will be rehired once the new company takes over.

Swissair employs about 32 people in Ghana and Mr Alvan-Slaven is confident that all local staff will be maintained by the new Airline. He told JOY FM that the termination of appointments is just a legal formality.

The new company to take over from Swiss Air will be named on January 16. The Board of Cross Air, the subsidiary, which bailed the Swiss national carrier, takes over management of the airline from 31st March. Mr Alvan-Slaven says the 4 times a week flight schedule to Ghana will not change.

Swissair filed for bankruptcy after the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States after it failed to raise enough capital to keep its operations. The events of September 11 reportedly pushed the airline to the brink but aviation analysts insist that it was already grappling with financial crunch.