Swissair said that about 3,000 to 4,000 passengers were stuck at Zurich's airport, whose operator was putting them up in hotels as necessary.

Passengers at Zurich were told over loudspeakers their useless Swissair tickets would not be reimbursed and new tickets should be bought elsewhere.

Some Swissair workers openly wept or struggled to hide their tears.

Swissair said the suspension of operations would put even more jobs at risk than the 2,650 staff cuts announced as part of the drastic restructuring programme designed to salvage part of the collapsed group's airline activities.

Swissair said there was nothing it could do for stranded passengers.

Spokesman Patrick Jeandrain told the UK's Press Association news agency: "Being out of cash, 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."

http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe...air/index.html