Swiss  - Ticket refund and compensation in case of flight delays and cancellations

Swiss: Current flight delays and cancellations

Was your Swiss flight delayed or even cancelled? In the overview you will find all current flights of the airline for which a potential compensation claim exists or a ticket refund can be claimed.

About Swiss

The Swiss airline Swiss International Air Lines, or Swiss for short, has its headquarters and hub at Zurich International Airport. Swiss operates numerous connections to destinations all over the world. Swiss belongs to the Lufthansa Group and is a member of the Star Alliance airline alliance. If your flight with Swiss was cancelled, delayed or there was another flight irregularity, you are protected by the UK Passenger Rights Regulation and you may be entitled to compensation or a ticket refund from the airline.

Just like most other airlines, a large number of Swiss flights had to be canceled during the coronavirus pandemic. However, the provisions of the UK Passenger Rights Regulation continue to apply. If flights are canceled without replacement due to a direct connection with coronavirus, e.g. because there are entry restrictions, affected passengers are entitled to reimbursement of their ticket costs. However, as this is an extraordinary circumstance, air travelers are not entitled to compensation in this case, as the airline is not responsible for the cancellation. Nevertheless, there are currently also flight cancellations that are not directly related to coronavirus. Airlines are canceling flights due to low demand and capacity utilization. These flight cancellations are due to economic reasons. Passengers affected by such flight cancellations may be entitled to compensation under UK law. 

You can easily find out what claims you are entitled to in the event of a flight problem with Swiss using our online calculator. If you have a claim, you can then instruct Flightright to enforce your claim. If Flightright is successful for you, you will receive your compensation or ticket refund minus our success commission (usually 20-30% plus VAT). If we are not successful, you will not incur any costs.

Flight problems with Swiss: your rights at a glance

Did your Swiss flight not go as planned? Would you like to know what you are entitled to in individual cases and what you should do? In our FAQs, we answer the most frequently asked questions about flight delays, cancellations, and overbooking with Swiss.

What is the difference between compensation and ticket refund?

The rights of air travellers are governed by the UK Air Passenger Rights Regulation. The regulation serves to protect travellers in the event of flight problems such as cancellations, long delays, overbooking and missed connecting flights. This is because such flight irregularities occur time and again and cause travellers some inconvenience. If the airline has caused one of these problems itself, the passengers affected may be entitled to a compensation payment in accordance with the provisions of the UK Passenger Rights Regulation. This compensation payment is a form of compensation and is intended to make up for the flight problem.

The ticket refund is the repayment of the ticket price paid to the passenger if the booked flight has been cancelled without replacement or the flight times have changed so much that the traveller no longer wishes to fly at the new times. In both cases, air travellers can claim their money back from the airline.

What am I entitled to if my flight is cancelled due to coronavirus?

If your flight is cancelled, for example due to official restrictions on the flight route and thus in direct connection with coronavirus, you are not entitled to compensation from Swiss under the UK Passenger Rights Regulation. However, in such a case, the airline must offer alternative transport, rebooking to a later date or reimbursement of the ticket costs. The freedom of choice for travellers between these three options is regulated in the UK Passenger Rights Regulation. If you decide in favour of a refund, the airline must reimburse you within 7 days. If you want to rebook or take a replacement flight, you cannot also claim back the ticket costs.

When can I receive compensation from Swiss for a cancelled flight?

If your flight with Swiss is cancelled less than 14 days before departure, you may be entitled to compensation. In addition, the airline itself must be responsible for the cancellation. If the flight is cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances, e.g. an air traffic controller strike, severe weather, airspace closures or border closures, the airline is not responsible and is exempt from paying compensation under UK law. The reason for your journey, i.e. whether it is a private trip or a business trip, is irrelevant to your claim for compensation. Package holiday travellers are also entitled to compensation in the event of flight irregularities.

When can I receive a ticket refund from Swiss for a flight cancellation?

If your flight is cancelled through no fault of the airline, you cannot claim compensation, but the airline is obliged to refund you the ticket costs. In addition to the cost of the flight itself, this refund must also include any extra costs for seat reservations or checked baggage. As an alternative to reimbursement, you can also request a prompt replacement flight or a rebooking to a later date. In principle, reimbursement can also be made in the form of a voucher. However, as a passenger you have the right to insist on a refund and do not have to accept a voucher if you do not wish to do so. If you have already accepted the voucher, you can no longer claim a refund afterwards.

When can I claim compensation and a ticket refund in the event of a flight cancellation?

In order for you to be entitled to a ticket refund in addition to compensation, the airline must have caused the flight cancellation itself, informed you of the cancellation less than 14 days before the flight and not offered an alternative flight. If these three points apply, you can claim compensation and reimbursement of the ticket costs.

How much compensation can I get from Swiss?

The amount of compensation depends on the length of the flight. The cost of your ticket is not important when calculating the amount of compensation.

• Short-haul (less than 1,500 kilometres): According to UK law, you are entitled to compensation of £220 from Swiss
• Medium-haul (up to 3,500 kilometres): Under UK law, you are entitled to compensation of £350 from Swiss
• Long-haul (over 3,500 kilometres): Under UK law, you are entitled to compensation of £520 from Swiss

Flight delay, cancellation, overbooking or missed connecting flight? You are entitled to this:

How long can I claim compensation or a ticket refund for my flight?

In Germany, you can claim compensation from the airline for up to 6 years after the problem flight. The same time limit also applies to ticket refunds. Important to know: The deadline is calculated at the end of the year. For example, if you were affected by a flight cancellation in spring 2023, you have until the end of 2026 to claim compensation or a ticket refund.

What rights do I have if my flight with Swiss is overbooked?

Airlines sometimes overbook connections to ensure maximum capacity utilisation of their flights. If you find out on arrival at the airport that your flight is overbooked and you cannot fly as originally planned, you have a number of rights vis-à-vis the airline. In this case, you are entitled to so-called alternative transport – i.e. a replacement flight – or compensation or a ticket refund. If you have to wait several hours at the airport for your new flight, the airline is obliged to provide you with free drinks and snacks. Incidentally, you are always entitled to these so-called care services in the event of long waiting times due to flight irregularities. The cause of the delay does not affect your entitlement.

What am I entitled to if my departure is postponed to the next day?

If the departure has to be postponed to the next day at short notice, the airline is obliged to organise hotel accommodation for you and also to take care of your transfer to and from the airport. The airline must also cover the costs of this. The hotel accommodation also falls under the so-called care services, to which you are entitled regardless of the cause of the delay. If the airline does not offer you an overnight stay on its own initiative, you should speak directly to the airline staff on site and insist on your right. If you have to organise the hotel yourself, make sure you obtain written confirmation from the airline in advance that it will cover the costs and then demand reimbursement of the costs incurred.

What should I do if I have a flight problem with Swiss?

In the event of flight problems, it can be helpful to have the airline confirm the reason for the flight irregularity in writing so that you can assert your claims later. If you only find out at the airport that there is a problem with your flight and you have to wait a long time, then insist on the care services to which you are entitled. If you have to provide yourself with food and refreshments, long waiting times can otherwise quickly add up. You should also check whether you are entitled to compensation or a ticket refund from the airline and use experienced passenger assistance organisations such as Flightright to enforce your claim.

When am I entitled to compensation due to a strike by Swiss?

You are entitled to compensation due to a Swiss strike if:

• Your flight was delayed or cancelled due to a Swiss strike.
• Your Swiss flight was either delayed by 3 hours or more or cancelled less than 14 days before the departure date.
• You had a confirmed flight reservation with Swiss.
• The disruption to your Swiss flight occurred within the last 6 years.
• You took an alternative flight and the new arrival time differed significantly from the arrival time of the original Swiss flight.

Conditions for compensation from Swiss in the event of a flight delay or cancellation?

If your Swiss flight is delayed or cancelled, you may be able to claim compensation from the airline. However, there are certain conditions that must be met in order to receive compensation. For example, the delay or cancellation must be due to reasons for which Swiss is responsible, such as technical problems or a strike. The flight must have taken off or landed within the EU. The delay must be at least 3 hours and passengers must be able to prove their identity and booking details. It should be noted that there are certain exceptions to these rules and that the airline always has the right to prove that the delay or cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances and is therefore not entitled to compensation.

For example, if the outbound Swiss flight from Munich to Lisbon (LIS) is delayed or cancelled, you can contact the airline to find out if you are entitled to compensation. It is also possible that Swiss offers top deals for a replacement flight. It is always advisable as an airline passenger to find out about your rights in the event of flight delays and cancellations and, if necessary, to take steps to obtain compensation. With Flightright, you can find out in just a few minutes what you are entitled to for your cancelled or delayed flight.

Swiss Airlines – Summary of operational activities in 2023

In 2023, Swiss Airlines operated a total of 85,583 flights, with 853 cancellations and 196 delays.

The 5 most important airports that Swiss flew to in 2023

Swiss Airlines operated mainly from Zurich, Geneva, London (Heathrow), Berlin (Brandenburg) and Frankfurt. Zurich was the busiest airport, with the highest number of flights, cancellations and delays.

Had a flight problem with Swiss?

Flightright is there for you: we stand up for your rights in the event of flight delays, cancellations, overbooking and missed connecting flights and ensure that you receive your rightful compensation or ticket refund.