Planning for Plan B - missed connection

The Edelweiss Air flight is a codeshare with Swiss so Swiss could get you on that flight if
there are seats available.

Please also be aware that previous history does not necessarily mean your flight will be late.

If this is on one ticket, and you miss your connection, the airline is obligated to get you on the next "available" flight....not the next flight. If there are no seats on the Edelweiss flight then you won't get that. They are not going to bump someone for you.

But honestly, I would not sit there and worry. Unless you want to change your flights, it's out of your hands. What happens that day, happens. And you won't know what will happen until that day. Do you really want to worry until then? I have learned from years of travel that some things are out of my control. I have a Plan B but don't even think about it until a problem occurs. You know the alternate flights available and that is your Plan B. Until then think of all the fun you're going to have.

LX is the airline code for Swiss.

A 1 hour delay on your inbound flight means you have 45 minutes to change flights. Which is usually enough in ZRH. The airline sells these short connections on purpose, because they operate in a very competitive field. If all goes right you have an efficient trip with little time wasted on layovers.

The airline has a very strong incentive to make sure you are on your connecting flight. If you miss your connection they have to find an alternative for you. The alternative may even be a flight with a competing airline. If they can't get you on your way on the same day they have to provide a hotel room. They have to provide meals and refreshments, and they have to pay you some compensation. That quickly adds up.

So they will try very hard to make sure you make that connection. SWISS will even bus you directly from your incoming to your outgoing flight if needed. But usually they do not need to do much. They know when you landed, they have a good idea when you got of the plane, how long the queue at immigration is etc... If they expect you to arrive at the plane 5 minutes after they had originally planned to close the doors they will just keep the doors open until you are there.

So you can expect that this is going to go fine.

Agree with above. I have had the experience of my onward flight being held due to my incoming flight being a little late -- the flight was held not just for me but for 5 to 10 other people who were on the incoming flight. My checked bag (containing US goodies for the person I was visiting at my destination) did not make the flight but was delivered later that night.

I think it’s interesting, too, that both flight numbers begin with LX,
is it meaningful?

It is meaningful. As you may know, airlines have two letter/digit IATA codes. Swiss's code is LX. Both flights start with LX; that indicates that Swiss is the "marketing airline" for both flights -- the one that is selling you the seat for each flight. If a flight number is in the 8000's or 9000's, that usually indicates the "operating airline" (the one that is actually flying the plane) is another airline (there are exceptions to this generality, but that is getting too deep in the weeds). The second flight will also have an Edelweiss Air flight designation starting with the letters WK.

I'm assuming both flights are on the same ticket? Good luck!

Thank you all. Yes I understand I can only get an available seat.

Although I prefer this itinerary when all goes as planned, there are other flights, too. I’m trying to weigh my options. As I will be traveling alone and I’m over 70 y.o. I have to plan ahead more carefully than usual. So I want to understand how things work before it happens.

As to the airline’s obligation to get me there, the majority of the itinerary is Air Canada, only the last small piece is on Swiss. It’s the AC piece that would be causing the issue on those occasions when they arrive too late to make the connection, as they sometimes do, rather than Swiss Airlines. In this situation who takes responsibility for the psgr? Does the psgr go to Air Canada to get help, or to Swiss? Or does it become a case of finger pointing where the psgr is stuck between a rock and a hard place? Financial compensation, if any, at this point is of very little interest to me after a very long day of travel from the West coast.

Dave Thank you for your comment regarding the LX flight number. I should have known that. Codeshares are always that way, not sure why I got my wires crossed, I’ll blame the late hour for my foggy brain! haha And I just verified it on the Edelweiss page, it is WK246. Although AC doesn’t seem to partner with Edelweiss, Swiss does.

Your flights are on a single ticket. Both air carriers belong to Star Alliance. If you miss your connecting flight because your first one was a delayed arrival, you will deal with Swiss Air to arrange your new flight.

The only issue that I can see is that she is departing from Toronto to Zurich. Then on to Palma de Mallorca on LX2156. One thing is that she will have to go through passport control and security in Zurich since she is entering the Schengen Area. If I remember, Zurich airport is very easy to navigate.

Hi Carolyn! I agree, things can happen. But mostly they don't really! 'Hope for the best but plan on the worst'. I've had the experience of a missed flight out of Frankfurt on Lufthansa, after a delayed UA flight from the US last year. Both are Star Alliance carriers. Lufthansa could NOT help me & said I needed to exit security to see a UA agent. NO WAY. Don't do it.

Plan C - Be sure you have a way to call back to Canada & speak with an Air Canada agent. I called UA in the USA & they re-booked me on the next Lufthansa flight. So maybe Swiss Air will be able to help, but would suggest you have a way to contact Air Canada by phone.

Yes it sounds like a hassle but it really wasn't! Just be flexible. Tip 2- IF you have to get into a long line to speak with an agent, use the phone while you're in line to contact Air Canada first. Then Swiss Air. (UA's telephone number is in my phone), just put Air Canada & Swiss Air numbers in N America into your phone, calling into N America late at night means shorter wait times. Hope that's helpful!

PS, It also sounds like Swiss Air is very generous in helping out passengers arriving slightly late, this has NOT been my experience with Lufthansa....

CJean Thank you for the clarification.

Sandancisco Excellent information, it’s great hearing real life experience and exactly what I needed.

Plan C - Be sure you have a way to call back to Canada & speak with an
Air Canada agent. I called UA in the USA & they re-booked me on the
next Lufthansa flight. So maybe Swiss Air will be able to help, but
would suggest you have a way to contact Air Canada by phone.

I see both the Canadian desk and the US desk use the same 800 number. Not sure how that’s going to work, i.e. an 800 number from Switzerland, hmmm. But… it would be middle of the night in N. America so not as busy as noon-ish in Europe. What do you think of trying to re-book on their app? Possible, effective, slower? Is twitter a possibility? I’m asking about alternatives because I typically use WhatsApp or Signal for international phone calls and not certain of my ability to call N. America at that point, especially an 800 number.

Thanks so much for your real world experience and your great suggestions!

Air Canada has numbers for other countries. You can lookup Switzerland here:
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/fly/customer-support/contact-us/other-numbers.html#/

I wouldn’t get too concerned about missing your connection. Zurich is one of the better airports. I once had a 60 minute connection at Zurich where my flight arrived about 15 minutes late. I still made the flight, even with passport control and an extra security screening for my flight back to the U.S.

Excellent point by @Laura, you could just call them in Switzerland. About long distance calls - I use AT&T international plan, $10 per day of usage, you have unlimited data & calling which might be good to have. Check with your mobile provider, you can do it on-line. AND it's unlikely you're going to miss your connection, really you've done enough or we will be onto Plan D!

Coming from Canada and connecting to Spain you would normally not need to go through security again, as Canada is on the "clean" list. Transatlantics usually dock at E, and from there follow "connections A/B". Do not follow the signs to D, or to the exit. You will take a little train to the main building, pass through passport control and then you are at the concourse that joins docks A and B, where all Schengen flights leave from. Time needed will be something like 10 minutes + the time at passport control.