When Switzerland's new national carrier was unveiled in 2002, the brand name "Swiss" was meant to lure in passengers with the promise of premium service, quality and proverbial Swiss reliability.

Now that German giant Lufthansa is stepping in to take over Swiss International Air Lines, and the move is likely to dent Switzerland's national pride, the creator of the "Swiss" brand still is certain that the iconic white cross on a red background has a future.

"I don't think the brand will die, full stop. It would really have to be some unattractive arrogance on the side of Lufthansa to say they would kill this off," Tyler Brule said.

During three years of cut-throat competition, rising fuel costs and a stumbling global economy, Swiss International Air Lines has not only failed to make a profit, but it has also failed to deliver on its ambitious plans to be a cut above the rest of its contemporaries.

Even so, "they are sitting on what is still a good brand and has a great reputation in many markets around the world," said Mr Brule, the founder of Wallpaper, a style and fashion magazine.

Backed by Switzerland's reputation for neutrality and respectability, the airline can shuttle business people around Europe in style or transport travellers in safety to Africa and the Middle East, Brule said. This service could exist as a kind of premium marque within the Lufthansa stable.

"You can't forget there are still many of the world's wealthiest individuals in Switzerland and new wealth coming into the country," he said.

Alternatively, Lufthansa could consider taking advantage of Switzerland's history of neutrality to make Swiss the first European carrier to serve all niche routes.

Such routes might mean flying into Kabul, Basra and Baghdad, he suggested.

"There are a number of things that rest within Swiss's DNA which, when Lufthansa does more due diligence, they will find there will be good marketing stories to be exploited," he said.

Mr Brule acknowledges that early 2002 was a tough time to launch an airline with the September 11th, 2001 attacks still in recent memory and a downturn in the global travel industry underway.

"It was the wrong time for any carrier in Europe," he said.

Swiss was born in 2002 with a hefty cash injection from Swiss companies and the government by grafting regional carrier Crossair onto the remains of failed predecessor Swissair.

A series of air accidents, a crash over Swiss airspace and decisions made by the new airline's management - such as a move to save money by denying economy passengers free food and drinks on short-haul flights - also jinxed the early life of the new carrier, Brule said.

"The bullet should have been bitten much earlier, and if people are feeling upset about things now, then it's a little too late," he said.

As for the brand itself, Brule sees Lufthansa taking a leaf from the book of other German companies such Volkswagen or sports equipment maker Puma to shift upmarket.

"From autos, fashion and sports goods, German companies have been very good at taking core brands and bolting premium brands on to them," he said.

"If Lufthansa is the VW group, then Swiss becomes the new Bentley turbo." - (Reuters)