Thousands of passengers were stranded at airports all over the world yesterday after Swissair suspended all its flights indefinitely.

It is the first major airline that has been forced to cease operations since the atrocities in the US, although analysts believe it may not be the last. The once-proud company admitted it could no longer afford to continue flying its 77 planes, with oil companies demanding payment in advance for fuel.

Patrick Jeandrain, a spokesman for Swissair, said there was nothing the carrier could do for passengers left at airports, many of them understood to be Britons. "We cannot reimburse tickets or offer alternative flights. We are aware it is a disaster for our clients but at the moment there is nothing we can do because we have no money."

The shutdown meant that all services from the airline's home airports of Zurich and Geneva were suspended, although any aircraft that were already en route were ordered to continue. Swissair also faced problems with fuel supplies.

Although few tour operators use Swissair as part of their holiday packages, it seems inevitable that the reduction in flights and competition to Geneva and Zurich will increase flight costs for skiers this winter.

The discount airlines, such as EasyJet and Buzz, seem as yet unaffected by the crisis, but the train looks an increasingly attractive option for travel to the Alps this winter.

[Main part of story from The Independent]

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