Switzerland's new national airline to be called SWISS

BASEL, Switzerland - Switzerland&#39;s new national airline will be known as SWISS, the company that is taking over the financially troubled Swissair said Thursday. <br> <br> Crossair Chief Executive Andre Dose announced the new corporate identity at a news conference in Basel. The company will be officially known as Swiss Air Lines Ltd., but it will fly under the trademark SWISS. <br> <br> The new logo and corporate image, featuring the red and white of the Swiss flag, were designed by Canadian design guru Tyler Brule, head of London-based Wink Media. <br> <br> The new airline is being built on the remains of Swissair, whose routes are being taken over by former subsidiary Crossair. It will officially take to the skies March 31. <br> <br> &#34;For legal reasons, the change from Crossair cannot be made until October ... as it must be authorized at the next general assembly of the shareholders,&#34; the company said. <br> <br> Crossair said SWISS would fly to 123 destinations in 60 countries and would have a fleet of 128 aircraft. The new timetable will be 30 percent smaller than the combined services of Crossair and Swissair in summer 2001. <br> <br> Swissair&#39;s collapse late last year left the nation wondering whether it would ever again have a national airline. Crossair, a profitable airline serving only European destinations, said it would only consider taking over the Swissair intercontinental routes if it received financial support from government and industry. <br> <br> Within four months, Dose said, $1.6 billion had been raised. <br> <br> &#34;Not an easy task, but the good will and spirit shown by all parties involved demonstrated how important a national airline was to the nation,&#34; Dose said. <br>