Editing Crossair

{{Short description|Defunct regional airline of Switzerland (1975–2002)}}
{{Redirect|Swissair Regional|the regional airline of Swissair's successor|Swiss European Air Lines}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2009}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline        = Crossair
| logo           = Crossair_Logo.svg
| logo_size      = 
| destinations   = 
| headquarters   = [[Saint-Louis, Haut-Rhin|Saint-Louis]], [[Haut-Rhin]], [[France]]
| IATA           = LX
| ICAO           = CRX
| callsign       = CROSSAIR
| founded        = {{start date|1975|||df=yes}}<br />{{small|(as ''Business Flyers Basel AG'')}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=Eintrag der ''Swiss International Air Lines AG,'' ehemals ''Crossair,'' im Handelsregister des Kantons Basel-Stadt|url=http://bs.powernet.ch/webservices/inet/HRG/HRG.asmx/getHRGHTML?chnr=2703001037&amt=270&toBeModified=0&validOnly=0&lang=1&sort=0|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110707001637/http://bs.powernet.ch/webservices/inet/HRG/HRG.asmx/getHRGHTML?chnr=2703001037&amt=270&toBeModified=0&validOnly=0&lang=1&sort=0|access-date=7 July 2011|archive-date = 7 July 2011}}</ref>
| commenced      = {{start date|1978|11|18|df=yes}}<br />{{small|(as ''Crossair'')}}
| ceased         = {{end date|2002|03|31|df=yes}}<br />{{small|(re-organized as [[SWISS]])}}
| hubs           = [[EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg]]
| frequent_flyer = [[Qualiflyer]]
| subsidiaries   = {{nowrap|[[Crossair Europe]] {{small|(1997–2002)}}}}
| parent         = [[SAirGroup]]
| lounge         = 
| founder        = Moritz Suter
| key_people     = 
| alliance       = 
| fleet_size     = 
| website        = [https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.crossair.com/ Crossair.com]
}}

'''Crossair Ltd. Co. for Regional European Air Transport''' ({{langx|de|Crossair AG für europäischen Regionalluftverkehr}}) was a [[Switzerland|Swiss]] [[regional airline]] headquartered on the grounds of [[EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg]] in [[Saint-Louis, Haut-Rhin]], [[France]], near [[Basel]], Switzerland. 

After taking over most of the assets of [[Swissair]] following that airline's bankruptcy in 2002, Crossair was restructured to become [[SWISS]].<ref name=ch-aviation>[https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/airline/LX ch-aviation.com - Swiss] retrieved 11 March 2023</ref>

==History==
The airline was founded as a private company under the name ''Business Flyers Basel AG'' in 1975 by Moritz Suter. The name later changed to ''Crossair'' on 18 November 1978, before the beginning of scheduled services on 2 July 1979, with flights from [[Zürich]] to [[Nuremberg]], [[Innsbruck]] and [[Klagenfurt]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} It was headquartered at [[Zurich Airport]] in [[Kloten]] in 1985.<ref>"World Airline Directory." ''Flight International''. 30 March 1985. [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%200931.html 71]." Retrieved on  17 June 2009.</ref> 

It added [[charter]] services for major shareholder [[Swissair]] in November 1995.{{cn|date=March 2023}}

After parent company [[SAirGroup]] had to apply for a [[debt restructuring]] moratorium in October 2001, it became necessary to change the entire planning. On 31 March 2002, [[Swissair]] ceased all operations while most of its assets were taken over by Crossair which then was subsequently restructured and rebranded to become [[Swiss International Air Lines]].<ref name=ch-aviation/>

==Head office==
Crossair was headquartered on the grounds of [[EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg]] in [[Saint-Louis, Haut-Rhin]], France, near [[Basel]], Switzerland.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20020202015152/http://www.crossair.com/en/ourcompany/location/index.html Location]." Crossair. Retrieved on 13 June 2009.</ref> In 2002 the name "Crossair" was replaced with "Swiss International Air Lines" on the head office building.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20121102215146/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-88189391.html INDUSTRY BRIEFS.]" ''Airline Industry Information''. 2 July 2002. Retrieved on 12 January 2010. "According to a company statement, the new name replaces Crossair at the corporate headquarters in Basel."</ref>

==Destinations==
Crossair flew from [[Basel]], [[Bern]], [[Geneva]], [[Lugano]] and Zurich. Crossair was very interested in serving from several hubs and, therefore set up a multi-hub business plan. Crossair set up a Eurocross scheme from their Basel base to serve smaller airports and transfer their passengers to larger hubs with short transit times (only around 20 minutes) This helped Crossair link with partners, such as Swissair from Zurich. Crossair also operated flights between Swiss airports.{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}}

==Fleet==
[[File:78at - Crossair Avro RJ 85; HB-IXG@ZRH;30.11.1999 (5257318064).jpg|thumb|Crossair [[Avro RJ85]]]]
[[File:Crossair MD-82; HB-INV@ZRH;08.02.1997 (6169435636).jpg|thumb|Crossair [[McDonnell Douglas MD-82]]]]
[[File:Crossair Saab 2000; HB-IZG@ZRH;08.02.1997 (6169448356).jpg|thumb|Crossair [[Saab 2000]]]]
Crossair has operated the following aircraft throughout its existence:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aerobernie.bplaced.net/Crossair.html|title=Crossair fleet|website=aerobernie.bplaced.net|access-date=20 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Crossair|title=Crossair Fleet Details and History|website=Planespotters.net|access-date=24 April 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center"
|+ Crossair fleet
|-
!Aircraft
!Total
!Introduced
!Retired
!Notes
|-
|[[Avro RJ85]]
|4
|1993
|2002
|Transferred to [[Swiss International Air Lines]].
|-
|[[Avro RJ100]]
|16
|1995
|2002
|Transferred to [[Swiss International Air Lines]].<br> One crashed as [[Crossair Flight 3597|Flight 3597]].
|-
|[[BAe 146|British Aerospace 146-200A]]
|3
|1990
|1994
|
|-
|[[BAe 146|British Aerospace 146-300]]
|2
|1991
|1996
|
|-
|[[Cessna 210|Cessna T210]]
|1
|1976
|{{Unknown}}
|
|-
|[[Cessna 310|Cessna 310P]]
|1
|1976
|{{Unknown}}
|
|-
|[[Cessna 320|Cessna 320C]]
|1
|1975
|{{Unknown}}
|
|-
|[[Cessna 421|Cessna 421B]]
|1
|1976
|{{unknown}}
|
|-
|[[Cessna 550]]
|1
|1976
|{{Unknown}}
|
|-
|[[Cessna 551]]
|1
|1977
|1982
|
|-
|[[Embraer ERJ-145|Embraer ERJ-145LU]]
|22
|2000
|2002
|Transferred to [[Swiss International Air Lines]].
|-
|[[Fairchild Hiller FH-227]]
|1
|1984
|1984
|Leased from [[Delta Air Transport]].
|-
|[[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner|Fairchild Swearingen Metro II]]
|3
|1979
|1983
|
|-
|[[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner|Fairchild Swearingen Metro III]]
|9
|1981
|1990
|
|-
|[[Fokker F27 Friendship]]
|2
|1984
|1984
|
|-
|[[Fokker 50]]
|5
|1990
|1995
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14]] 
|1
|1995
|1995
|Leased from ALG Aeroleasing
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-82]]
|1
|1995
|2001
|Transferred to [[Nordic Airlink]].
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-83]]
|11
|1995
|2002
|
|-
|[[Piper L-4|Piper L-4J]]
|1
|1975
|2001
|
|-
|[[Saab 340]]
|14
|1984
|2002
|One crashed as [[Crossair Flight 498|Flight 498]].
|-
|[[Saab 2000]]
|32
|1994
|2002
|Largest operator.<br> One written off as [[Swiss International Air Lines Flight 850|Flight 850]].
|-
|}

==Accidents and incidents==
*'''10 January 2000''': [[Crossair Flight 498]] crashed just after take-off from [[Zürich]].  All 10 people aboard were killed.<ref name="ASN">{{Cite web|last=Ranter|first=Harro|title=ASN Aircraft accident Saab 340B HB-AKK Nassenwil|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20000110-0|access-date=20 August 2020|website=aviation-safety.net|publisher=[[Aviation Safety Network]]}}</ref>

*'''24 November 2001''': [[Crossair Flight 3597]] crashed near [[Zürich]], killing 24 of 33 people aboard, including the former [[La Bouche]] lead singer [[Melanie Thornton]] and two of the three members of the German [[Eurodance]] group [[Passion Fruit (band)|Passion Fruit]]. The third member, Debby St. Maarten, sustained serious injuries but survived.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20011124-0|title=Accident description|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=8 September 2010}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Crossair Europe]]
*[[Swissair]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category inline|Crossair}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.crossair.com Crossair Website - crossair.com] (Archive)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://crossair.ch/ Crossair Website - crossair.ch] (Archive) {{in lang|de}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/*/www.crossair.ch/en/home/index.html Crossair Website - crossair.ch] (Archive)

{{Portalbar|Switzerland|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of Switzerland}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Swissair]]
[[Category:Swiss companies established in 1975]]
[[Category:Swiss companies disestablished in 2002]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1975]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2002]]
[[Category:Companies based in Basel]]