Thursday 17.10.2002, CET 15:52






October 17, 2002 2:42 PM

Swissair for sale

The collapsed national carrier, Swissair, has begun selling off all its accessories.
A spokesman said it was hoped that several million francs would be earned from the public sale of more than six million products, including watches, uniforms, cosmetics, alcohol and cutlery.
Organisers said several thousand potential clients had come to Thursday's launch of the sale which is on for several weeks.
Swissair merged with the regional airline, Crossair, earlier this year to form the new carrier, Swiss.

swissinfo / SRI



http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=113&sid=1401265

Just goes to show you that some people will buy anything...

And here's evidence that people will buy anything (except apparently online gambling opportunities). Perhaps after all the sorrow they've caused they ought to be forced to donate all the proceeds to charity.
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Thousands of eager shoppers have been flocking to a suburb in Zurich for a slice of Swiss aviation history.

Despite bad weather, long queues gathered in Bassersdorf as items from Switzerland’s former national airline, Swissair, went on sale.



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Many people flocked to buy the items (swissinfo / SRI)


Swissair itself may have collapsed but the opening day of the company’s liguidation sale suggests that domestic interest in the brand remains strong.

“I once worked for Swissair, and so I’m here out of nostalgia really,” one laden-down shopper told swissinfo.

“I always wanted to fly for Swissair,” said one newly-trained flight attendant, “but of course that won’t be possible now. Still, this is helping me to fill up my new house, even if the items aren’t that cheap!”

Sentimental value

Of course, one man’s bargain is another man’s extravagance and many of the goods on sale reflect not just their material worth but also the sentimental value of the Swissair brand.

While top quality champagnes and wines can be purchased at knock-down rates, other items such as mechanics’ jackets at SFr65 ($43) each, non-closable sleeping bags at SFr160 ($106) or safety instruction sheets (at a more modest SFr1 apiece) seem to be firmly marketed at Swissair fanatics.

“We have considered the historical importance of Swissair a little in our pricing,” admits Peter Schneiter of the company’s liquidation task force. “But all the money we make goes directly to the Swissair creditors, so we had to consider them as well as the people who are buying.


Some came to the sale out of nostalgia, others out of curiosity (swissinfo / SRI)


"High quality"

“I think some of the items here could certainly be seen as an investment,” Schneiter added. “Many are of very high quality and some have never been used, so I don’t have any bad feelings about the prices.”



More at:

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=111&sid=1401137

I don't know about other families who lost people on sr111, but I must admit that I never thought I would live to see the day that swissair went under despite my thoughts about them and how they ran their company. I will always believe that the people running that airline at the time had something to do with why that plane crashed. You won't see me in line buying their safety instructions, that's for sure.