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I totally agree with @trecile. If the airline has cancelled one leg of the flight, I would be very hesitant to keep the schedule as is and find my own way to Zurich (even though I just posted on how you might do thatRather than accept the change and find your own way to Zurich have you looked on the airline's website for other options to get back home.
These changes are made automatically via computer, and doing a little research then calling the airline can get you on a flight that works for you.
people from South Africa find a direct flight into Spain
Yes, that does worry me. Thanks for reminding me!that the cancellation (which could be counted as a no show if improperly processed)
I think you've got it!Rather than accept the change and find your own way to Zurich
To me as, as not so frequent flyer, this sounds rather odd: that they will refund the Bilbao to Zurich leg once the trip has been completed. Regardless, I agree with @trecile and others: Ask them to find other acceptable options for you, for example Madrid or Barcelona to Zurich if that is convenient for you.Swiss Air have now cancelled the Bilbao to Zurich leg. I can cancel the whole thing for a full refund, or I can accept the change, and they will refund me the Bilbao to Zurich leg once the trip has been completed.
Their email:To me as, as not so frequent flyer, this sounds rather odd: that they will refund the Bilbao to Zurich leg once the trip has been completed.
My flight is next week, 19 JanuaryAt this point in time and for April 2022, I would not worry much about entry restrictions.
I noticed it after you had read my post, and I have already corrected my comment.My flight is next week, 19 January
If I ever need a connecting flight to get to a long haul which is not on the same ticket, I travel the day before - or at least such that there is at least one ‘spare’ short-haul slot before my long haul.Having sorted out a “Covid Pass” (I hope) on another thread (thank you!), I need your help again.
What would you do in the following scenario?
I have a return flight booked from South Africa to Bilbao on 19 January. Outbound it’s on Lufthansa via Frankfurt, and inbound it’s on Swiss Air via Zurich.
Swiss Air have now cancelled the Bilbao to Zurich leg. I can cancel the whole thing for a full refund, or I can accept the change, and they will refund me the Bilbao to Zurich leg once the trip has been completed.
Let’s say I accept the change. At the end of my camino I would have to buy another flight from somewhere in Spain to Zurich, in time to catch my long haul flight home.
You can see what’s coming, can’t you?
If this additional flight is delayed, and I miss my long haul flight, I am going to have to buy another ticket to get home (very expensive), as the delayed flight is not part of the original ticket.
So what I am thinking of, is to buy a ticket for the day BEFORE my long haul flight (it leaves in the evening), and I stay in the Zurich transit area for over 24 hours. I should be sure then of getting the final flight if I am delayed en-route to Zurich. But can I do that – stay in transit for over 24 hours? It seems better to me, with all the covid rules and regulations, to stay in transit, rather than leave the airport.
What would you do?
Quoting myself. I have just checked what it would NOW cost me for a return flight to Spain, in January/February, and it is A LOT more than if I kept the original ticket, and paid extra for an overnight in an hotel at Zurich airport . . . hmmm . . .It may actually be better to cancel, get a full refund, and start again.
Yes. Instead of getting from Santiago back to Bilbao, I would now have to get from Santiago to Zurich . . .@jsalt, I had a look at Skyscanner and at Bilbao airport and it looked like there are no direct flights between Bilbao and Zurich by any airline during February. Could this be true? If so, you would have to rearrange flights anyway ...
I think if you book a flight to replace the one they canceled, it’s too big a risk that that flight might get canceled in the future. I think if you don't just re-book the entire itinerary so that no matter what happens they have to get you home, you have to allow enough time to take land transportation. Just in case. What a conundrum!Yes. Instead of getting from Santiago back to Bilbao, I would now have to get from Santiago to Zurich . . .
Unless I book that flight when I am a few days away from Santiago . . . . i.e. a few days before I want to fly to Zurich . . . ?I think if you book a flight to replace the one they canceled, it’s too big a risk that that flight might get canceled in the future.
Of course, that would almost certainly be OK. just likely more expensive. And you could always do land transportation if for some reason you can’t book a flight.Unless I book that flight when I am a few days away from Santiago . . . . i.e. a few days before I want to fly to Zurich . . . ?
This may be a case of too many cooks messing up the soup, but I think that you should lean on the airlines to rebook your complete RT. Buying a new one now is, as you say, going to be very expensive. I would take that option off the table. Surely there is a way to get from Bilbao to home leaving on the day you will be traveling. Get on skyskanner and see if you can find a reasonable route. With times and flight numbers, I would tell the customer service agent that that is what you would like to do. They are not likely to rebook you on another airline, unless you have very high status with the airline, but I think if you found a Bilbao - Amsterdam - home or Bilbao - London - whatever or something like that, they would rebook you. As you say, your risk in buying another flight to Zurich is that you could be delayed and miss your international flight — which brings us back to sleeping in the Zurich airport.Quoting myself. I have just checked what it would NOW cost me for a return flight to Spain, in January/February, and it is A LOT more than if I kept the original ticket, and paid extra for an overnight in an hotel at Zurich airport . . . hmmm . . .
Maybe… but with a bit of creativity, Jill may be able to get a different RT. Look at what happened to @AlbertagirlTo cut your walk short by a day and get to, and overnight in, Zurich would seem - to me - to be the best option.
I know and that’s a great next step - but if that doesn’t get results pdq- from my personal pov what I would want now would be certainty. I’m fortunate and, within reason, I can throw money at a problem until it gets bored and goes away; but still; I’d want to close this down and get on with anticipating the trip.Maybe… but with a bit of creativity, Jill may be able to get a different RT. Look at what happened to @Albertagirl
I am flying to Valencia through London in September, then flying home from Madrid through Frankfurt in November. I did not choose these flights originally, but when my airline cancelled my original flights from Calgary through Montreal to Barcelona and home from Barcelona through Toronto to Calgary, I made what changes I could to simplify my time in Spain.
This tells me that it might be worthwhile for Jill to do some searching and find a better return trip home. That could be either from Bilbao, or from an easier airport to get to in Spain, i.e., Madrid or Barcelona. That might be much easier than getting to Zurich. My only point is that being armed with a solution to propose to the airlines in their response to their notice that they have cancelled your flight is better than just calling up and asking what they suggest.
The airline sold her a round trip ticket, South Africa to Spain, and it's their responsibility to make it right. Do you have to fly into Bilbao? There are probably many more flights to Madrid, so maybe that would work as well.This may be a case of too many cooks messing up the soup, but I think that you should lean on the airlines to rebook your complete RT.
If you book it a few days before it could be very expensive? I wouldn’t cancel the flight, but perhaps ask to speak to a supervisor and explain your circumstances. They are the one’s canceling the flight. It shouldn’t cost you more to make a decent connection.Unless I book that flight when I am a few days away from Santiago . . . . i.e. a few days before I want to fly to Zurich . . . ?
Be very careful here. Normally, if you decide to skip a flight leg on a single ticket, the airline will assume a no-show and cancel the subsequent legs. Don't assume anything!Keep your booking and take the train to Zurich instead of trying to fly.
But there's no skipping, right? That leg got cancelled. So confirming the flight from Zurich should be enough.Normally, if you decide to skip a flight leg on a single ticket, the airline will assume a no-show and cancel the subsequent legs. Don't assume anything!
"should be".But there's no skipping, right? That leg got cancelled. So confirming the flight from Zurich should be enough.
Absolutely.I'd want to confirm (again) in advance and have a record of it.
Be very careful here. Normally, if you decide to skip a flight leg on a single ticket, the airline will assume a no-show and cancel the subsequent legs. Don't assume anything!
or even a flight from Madrid or Barcelona, that will get you home. You could get to Madrid or Barcelona by other means.to replace the Bilbao to Zurich leg
To me this is the best advice but you will have to reach call centre to do so. Imperative that sectors 3 and 4 are on the same booking ref and e-ticket. Airline systems are generally incapable of offering other sectors that may make sense to you - so perfect world that would have offered you BCN or MAD but everything is so automated it doesn’t work like that. Alsa or RENFE can get you to Madrid! To clarify it is a direct booking with airline, not via agent? If airline, which one?The airline sold her a round trip ticket, South Africa to Spain, and it's their responsibility to make it right. Do you have to fly into Bilbao? There are probably many more flights to Madrid, so maybe that would work as well.
If you book it a few days before it could be very Expensive? I wouldn’t cancel the flight, but perhaps askto speak to a supervisor and explain your circumstances. They are the one’s canceling the flight. It shouldn’t cost you more to make a dece connection.Unless I book that flight when I am a few days away from Santiago . . . . i.e. a few days before I want to fly to Zurich . . . ?
I am reposting this…because truly many airlines representatives do not have authority to make some changes….if you get on the phone with a representative from the airline ( assuming you made the booking directly with it) and they can’t do anything for you, have alternatives in mind as others have suggested. I doubt the first representative can do it, but a supervisor can….do not get off the phone without speaking to a supervisor.If you book it a few days before it could be very expensive? I wouldn’t cancel the flight, but perhaps ask to speak to a supervisor and explain your circumstances. They are the one’s canceling the flight. It shouldn’t cost you more to make a decent connection.
Without wishing you to inundate you. Porto to JNB via Frankfurt may be an option. Swiss and LH are both Star Alliamce members so other airlines that are members of Star Alliance MAY be an option. Especially as your outbound airline is LH!If you book it a few days before it could be very Expensive? I wouldn’t cancel the flight, but perhaps askto speak to a supervisor and explain your circumstances. They are the one’s canceling the flight. It shouldn’t cost you more to make a dece connection.
I am reposting this…because truly many airlines representatives do not have authority to make some changes….if you get on the phone with a representative from the airline ( assuming you made the booking directly with it) and they can’t do anything for you, have alternatives in mind as others have suggested. I doubt the first representative can do it, but a supervisor can….do not get off the phone without speaking to a supervisor.
Surely, Swiss or lufthansa, flies to Zurich via Madrd ask them to reroute you from there. Take train from SdC to MAD.
I had been looking for the destinations map for Zurich airport but I didn't find it. Destinations maps are useful for planning one's flights, and the Zurich one is particularly useful. It shows that, in February 2022, there is only one direct flight between Santiago and Zurich per week, namely on a Sunday and it's an Iberia codeshare; while SwissAir and others fly nearly every day from Porto to Zurich but apparently not on every Wednesday in February; and that there are many more options for Madrid-Zurich, including daily SwissAir flights.Most airport sites will have a "destinations" map - and here is the Zurich one
https://www.flughafen-zuerich.ch/en/passengers/fly/flightinformation/destinations
Yes… I think the journey needs to be viewed as Spain/Portugal to South Africa as the European throughout is irrelevant unless I have missed something. Certainly as a starting point with a telesales agent anyway!I had been looking for the destinations map for Zurich airport but I didn't find it. Destinations maps are useful for planning one's flights, and the Zurich one is particularly useful. It shows that, in February 2022, there is only one direct flight between Santiago and Zurich per week, namely on a Sunday and it's an Iberia codeshare; while SwissAir and others fly nearly every day from Porto to Zurich but apparently not on every Wednesday in February; and that there are many more options for Madrid-Zurich.
So it seems to me that the question is not so much about what to do at Zurich airport while waiting for a booked flight to South Africa but rather on what day is it possible to get a direct flight from Spain or Portugal to Zurich (if Zurich isn't dropped from the itinerary after all).
I am wondering if you had to fly into Zurich and stay overnight…why you would need to stay in the transit area? If I am correct S. Africa requires a PCR test?So what I am thinking of, is to buy a ticket for the day BEFORE my long haul flight (it leaves in the evening), and I stay in the Zurich transit area for over 24 hours. I should be sure then of getting the final flight if I am delayed en-route to Zurich. But can I do that – stay in transit for over 24 hours? It seems better to me, with all the covid rules and regulations, to stay in transit, rather than leave the airport.
What would you do?
Good point.So it seems to me that the question is not so much about what to do at Zurich airport while waiting for a booked flight to South Africa but rather from which airport and on which day is it currently possible to book a direct flight from Spain or Portugal to Zurich (if Zurich isn't dropped from the itinerary after all).
It's a snap to get into Zurich from the airport - there's a train station directly below the airport arrival area.Or, You could also take the metro ino the city book a room there and enjoy walking around Zurich. lovely city.
If you spend 24 hours in Zurich would your PCR still be valid even though you are technically in transit. If you have to have anotherHaving sorted out a “Covid Pass” (I hope) on another thread (thank you!), I need your help again.
What would you do in the following scenario?
I have a return flight booked from South Africa to Bilbao on 19 January. Outbound it’s on Lufthansa via Frankfurt, and inbound it’s on Swiss Air via Zurich.
Swiss Air have now cancelled the Bilbao to Zurich leg. I can cancel the whole thing for a full refund, or I can accept the change, and they will refund me the Bilbao to Zurich leg once the trip has been completed.
Let’s say I accept the change. At the end of my camino I would have to buy another flight from somewhere in Spain to Zurich, in time to catch my long haul flight home.
You can see what’s coming, can’t you?
If this additional flight is delayed, and I miss my long haul flight, I am going to have to buy another ticket to get home (very expensive), as the delayed flight is not part of the original ticket.
So what I am thinking of, is to buy a ticket for the day BEFORE my long haul flight (it leaves in the evening), and I stay in the Zurich transit area for over 24 hours. I should be sure then of getting the final flight if I am delayed en-route to Zurich. But can I do that – stay in transit for over 24 hours? It seems better to me, with all the covid rules and regulations, to stay in transit, rather than leave the airport.
What would you do?
would your PCR be valid after 24 hours. It may be better to get an earlier flight and have another test.Having sorted out a “Covid Pass” (I hope) on another thread (thank you!), I need your help again.
What would you do in the following scenario?
I have a return flight booked from South Africa to Bilbao on 19 January. Outbound it’s on Lufthansa via Frankfurt, and inbound it’s on Swiss Air via Zurich.
Swiss Air have now cancelled the Bilbao to Zurich leg. I can cancel the whole thing for a full refund, or I can accept the change, and they will refund me the Bilbao to Zurich leg once the trip has been completed.
Let’s say I accept the change. At the end of my camino I would have to buy another flight from somewhere in Spain to Zurich, in time to catch my long haul flight home.
You can see what’s coming, can’t you?
If this additional flight is delayed, and I miss my long haul flight, I am going to have to buy another ticket to get home (very expensive), as the delayed flight is not part of the original ticket.
So what I am thinking of, is to buy a ticket for the day BEFORE my long haul flight (it leaves in the evening), and I stay in the Zurich transit area for over 24 hours. I should be sure then of getting the final flight if I am delayed en-route to Zurich. But can I do that – stay in transit for over 24 hours? It seems better to me, with all the covid rules and regulations, to stay in transit, rather than leave the airport.
What would you do?
Yes, I agree.Imperative that sectors 3 and 4 are on the same booking ref and e-ticket.
Hello Jill, I just had this issue with Swiss Air; my FLT was from Miami to Zurich, Zurich to Napoli, they canceled my leg from Zurich to Napoli. I called them up and rebooked the flight for a different day. I did have to wait an hour to talk to someone so have patience. I fly Swiss Air a lot and they good about helping to accommodate you. I hope this helps. Safe travels.Their email:
1. If you would like to proceed with the proposed new itinerary, please use this option and accept the revised booking. (If we can only offer part of your originally planned trip and you still wish to travel, you are eligible for a partial refund after your trip has been completed.)
2. If the proposed new itinerary is not satisfactory and you prefer to postpone your travel to a later date, please use this option. Your reservation will be cancelled, but your ticket and booking code will remain valid to book new flights, based on our flexible rebooking policy. Please contact our Service Center to arrange your new itinerary.
3. You are entitled to a refund. you can submit your refund using this option. All remaining flights will be cancelled.
By the way, when I phone their "Service Centre" I am put on hold for ages and ages . . . until I give up, because my monthly cellphone account limit is about to run out and I'll be cut off anyway.
I gather that the departure station would be Santiago and not Bilbao ("when I am a few days away from Santiago ... i.e. a few days before I want to fly to Zurich"). In real-life terms that would mean a 35-hour long train trip, i.e. time spent on the trains plus time spent waiting for connections.I'd still be condidering the train. It's vastly more pleasant, and more climate friendly.
Good to hear and I think calling them up is the definite first option.Hello Jill, I just had this issue with Swiss Air; my FLT was from Miami to Zurich, Zurich to Napoli, they canceled my leg from Zurich to Napoli. I called them up and rebooked the flight for a different day. I did have to wait an hour to talk to someone so have patience. I fly Swiss Air a lot and they good about helping to accommodate you. I hope this helps. Safe travels.
Definitely. We had a Boston/LA/Sydney flight booked but a hurricane's eye was scheduled to be over Boston's airport at the same time as our flight departure. We got there early and flew to LA using space available (easy, the airlines wanted its planes out fast, full or not). We didn't checkin at LA until regular flight boarding time. Assuming that we were still in Boston they sold our seats. They did get us on but with worse seats. They made up for it though when they upgraded us to first class for free for the Sydney/Honolulu leg (we also got some free tickets when we volunteered for a bump on the Minneapolis/Boston leg).Be very careful here. Normally, if you decide to skip a flight leg on a single ticket, the airline will assume a no-show and cancel the subsequent legs. Don't assume anything!
Especially for Covid testing protocols.Imperative that sectors 3 and 4 are on the same booking ref and e-ticket.
I appreciate you all taking the time with this. My ticket was booked directly with Swiss Air online via their website. Depart JNB 19:40 on Wed 19 Jan to FRA, then FRA (next day) at 10:20 to BIO. Coming back: BIO to ZRH on Sun 27 Feb at 14:50 (now cancelled), finally ZRH to JNB at 22:40 (same day).
Sure I can get to other airports besides Bilbao. If I look for a flight MAD to ZRH on the Swiss website for 27 Feb the cost is from 86 euros (not direct) up to 156 euros (direct). That’s expensive. I definitely won’t get much of a credit for the cancelled leg, as the whole ticket only cost me 360 euros.
I appreciate you all taking the time with this. My ticket was booked directly with Swiss Air online via their website. Depart JNB 19:40 on Wed 19 Jan to FRA, then FRA (next day) at 10:20 to BIO. Coming back: BIO to ZRH on Sun 27 Feb at 14:50 (now cancelled), finally ZRH to JNB at 22:40 (same day).
Sure I can get to other airports besides Bilbao. If I look for a flight MAD to ZRH on the Swiss website for 27 Feb the cost is from 86 euros (not direct) up to 156 euros (direct). That’s expensive. I definitely won’t get much of a credit for the cancelled leg, as the whole ticket only cost me 360 euros.
Hi, I haven't got through yet. I get put on hold forever.It was Swiss airlines who cancelled your flight. They should offer you an alternative to get you home without increasing the price at such a late date! Politely tell them you expect them to honor your ticket to and from S. Africa to Spain! How do they propose to do that? did you speak with a supervisor?
I would also try their Twitter account. You can often get through to someone quicker that way.Hi, I haven't got through yet. I get put on hold forever.
I'm sorry, but they sold you a round trip ticket South Africa to Spain and back. They should have to honor that for the price that you paid.Swiss Air are not interested in replacing my third leg free of charge – I must pay extra at the current going rates, which are ridiculously expensive.
I am very sorry to read this.Swiss Air are not interested in replacing my third leg free of charge – I must pay extra at the current going rates, which are ridiculously expensive. I can justify having to pay a lot extra in an emergency, but this is not an emergency. So sadly I have cancelled my ticket for a full refund.
Yep, in the end we do not have the final word.So I am not surprised about Swissair's policy.
Agree! If you cancel (freeof charge),then of course you would be responsible for current prices. But I find it hard-to comprehend how they can get away with not offering you an alternative flight to Spain, at the agreed upon price for those dates?? Something is not right with this?I'm sorry, but they sold you a round trip ticket South Africa to Spain and back. They should have to honor that for the price that you paid.
Why do you think that (I‘m really curious). They informed the passenger a long time before the flight about the cancellation. They offered reimbursement for the cancelled leg. They offered a refund for the whole flight. It‘s not a situation where the passenger is already at the airport and is then informed about a cancellation, that would be different.Agree! If you cancel (freeof charge),then of course you would be responsible for current prices. But I find it hard-to comprehend how they can get away with not offering you an alternative flight to Spain, at the agreed upon price for those dates?? Something is not right with this?
Because what was purchased was bought as a complete itinerary - not several separate flights. They can't just say sorry, make your own way to Zurich because we aren't operating that flight any more. They agreed on a price to fly her from South Africa to Bilbao, then back again. They are now saying that she can't have the product that she paid for, and if she wants the product that she has already paid for in full then she needs to pay more.Why do you think that (I‘m really curious). They informed the passenger a long time before the flight about the cancellation. They offered reimbursement for the cancelled leg. They offered a refund for the whole flight. It‘s not a situation where the passenger is already at the airport and is then informed about a cancellation, that would be different.
That's what we think but I'm not sure that it's the legal situation. But I don't know. What I am pretty certain of: @jsalt can make no claim for an EU flight delay compensation (Switzerland and Swiss Air Lines are covered by this). Because in that context outbound and inbound flight are indeed regarded as two separate flights, even when bought as a package on one ticket as one flight, and the airline informed the passenger more than 14 days before the flight about the cancellation.Because what was purchased was bought as a complete itinerary - not several separate flights.
I do not know if you live in a city, but if so, does the airline have an office you might stop in to speak with a person? Or are you near the airport where you could go to the airline's desk and have them work it out?Hi, I haven't got through yet. I get put on hold forever.
The flight is already cancelled and a refund is requested.I do not know if you live in a city, but if so, does the airline have an office you might stop in to speak with a person? Or are you near the airport where you could go to the airline's desk and have them work it out?
Very close. We use the Americanism Transportation.(I guess that DOT stands for US Department of Transport?)
I bought the ticket from Swiss Air. I could have bought it from Lufthansa, but as I knew that Swiss Air gives an immediate full refund (been there done this before!), I chose Swiss.who did you buy the ticket from? Lufthansa or SwissAir?
I live 400km from Johannesburg – there may be a Swiss Air desk there. The service call centre and head office is in Cape Town, 2000 kms away.I do not know if you live in a city, but if so, does the airline have an office you might stop in to speak with a person? Or are you near the airport where you could go to the airline's desk and have them work it out?
I realize that those were the options offered to you by the automated system. Were you ever able to talk to them on the phone?My options were to 1. Accept the change as is, or 2. Postpone to a later date for flights to the value of my original cost; if later flights cost more, then I would have to pay in the extra, or 3. Cancel for a full refund.
You have already accepted option 3 so any discussion has become academic.My options were to 1. Accept the change as is, or 2. Postpone to a later date for flights to the value of my original cost; if later flights cost more, then I would have to pay in the extra, or 3. Cancel for a full refund.
The only reasonable option they could offer from Spain to Zurich was from Madrid, which would cost me another +/- 130 euros if I flew direct. (Forget stopovers that could also be cancelled at anytime.)I realize that those were the options offered to you by the automated system. Were you ever able to talk to them on the phone?
Oh dear--I certainly understand. I live 4-5 hours away from the airport, so similar to you trying to get to Johannesburg. Plus people eventually answer the phone when I call American Airlines.I bought the ticket from Swiss Air. I could have bought it from Lufthansa, but as I knew that Swiss Air gives an immediate full refund (been there done this before!), I chose Swiss.
My options were to 1. Accept the change as is, or 2. Postpone to a later date for flights to the value of my original cost; if later flights cost more, then I would have to pay in the extra, or 3. Cancel for a full refund.
I did look at postponing to a week or two later, but the prices were much too expensive to consider.
I live 400km from Johannesburg – there may be a Swiss Air desk there. The service call centre and head office is in Cape Town, 2000 kms away.
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