FAQs: Flight irregularities
SWISS will book you automatically on an alternative flight to the same destination and in the same travel class, free of charge.
In some cases, it may not be possible for SWISS to rebook an alternative flight. In such instances, you can select an alternative yourself within certain guidelines. This is also an option if the alternative flight booked by SWISS does not fit in with your schedule. The SWISS chat assistant will inform you if we have already made a rebooking for you automatically, or you can select an alternative yourself and make the rebooking free of charge. Alternatively, you can call up and edit your booking. To do so, please click "Go to Registration".
If you booked your flight ticket via a tour operator or a travel agency, direct rebooking may not be possible in some cases. If this is the case, please contact your tour operator or the travel agency.
If your alternative flight is only possible on the following day, SWISS will provide you with overnight accommodation or pay a share of the cost. You are also entitled to further support services. These can be found under Passenger Rights.
SWISS will inform you of the cancellation by e-mail, and will book you automatically on an alternative flight to the same destination and in the same travel class, free of charge. The SWISS chat assistant allows you to check at any time if we have already made a rebooking for you automatically, or you can select an alternative yourself and make the rebooking free of charge. The rebooking must be made within the validity period of the ticket (usually one year from the original departure date).
If your SWISS-operated flight has been cancelled, you can have your ticket refunded. You can use the SWISS chat assistant to check your refund amount and have this reimbursed. Alternatively, you can request the ticket refund using the link below.
If you booked your flight ticket through a tour operator or travel agency, we recommend that you contact them directly.
If you have already submitted your refund request by phone or e-mail, please do not request the refund again as this can result in a delay in processing.
If your ticket is completely unused, the ticket price, including all taxes and fees, will be refunded to the original means of payment.
If you have used one or more legs from your ticket, the unused portion of the fare value, taxes and fees will be calculated accordingly for refund.
If your flight is delayed by at least two hours, cancelled or you are denied boarding, you can obtain a meal voucher. You can redeem this in numerous restaurants at the airport. An overview of participating restaurants is available here:
You no longer need to visit the service counter to receive the meal voucher. Please note that only the boarding pass of the affected flight can be used for the meal voucher. We will additionally inform you about your voucher and its value by e-mail or SMS.
In the event your departure is pushed back to the following day, we will take care of a hotel. If our employees aren’t able to do so, you can book a hotel yourself and request a refund for the costs of your room, transport to and from the airport and hotel as well as meals. As a rule, SWISS will only refund costs for a stay in a three-star hotel with a receipt. In the very rare case that a three-star hotel is not available, SWISS will refund the costs of a higher category.
To issue the refund we need the following from you:
- Hotel receipt
- Receipts for all transport used and meals
- Reservation number or e-ticket number
Please send these quoting your bank details (IBAN and BIC) using the form “Application for compensation in the event of flight irregularities” or by post to the following address:
Swiss International Air Lines Ltd.
Customer Feedback Services
P.O. Box
8010 Zurich
Switzerland