1931: The Debut of a Pioneering Swiss Airline

March 26, 1931

Swissair, which would become Switzerland’s national airline, was officially established. This airline was formed from a merger between two other Swiss airlines — Ad Astra Aero (dating back to 1919) and Balair (founded in 1925). 

One of Swissair’s founders was renowned aviation pioneer Walter Mittelholzer (1894-1937), whose key airborne accomplishments included making the first north-south flight over Africa and being the first to fly above that continent’s legendary Mount Kilimanjaro. 

Swissair started off strongly, with a total of 64 employees — including 10 pilots and eight mechanics — working for the airline in its first operational year alone. During most of its 71 years of existence, Swissair earned a prominent place as one of the major international airlines. This airline also distinguished itself as a trailblazer in such ways as launching the first trans-alpine plane route (between Zurich, Switzerland, and Milan, Italy) and introducing employees who would be considered the first flight attendants in European aerospace.  

Image Credit: Public Domain

For more information on Swissair, please check out http://www.sr692.com/history/history.html