SWISS Claims: Start your claim against SWISS at no initial cost for you.

Following the bankruptcy of Swissair in 2001, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) was formed from the expansion of Swissair subsidiary Crossair. Now the national airline of Switzerland, Swiss is a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group with hubs in Zurich and Geneva. Swiss WorldCargo is the airfreight division of SWISS, established in 2002. A member of the Star Alliance, the carrier operates a domestic and regional network within Switzerland and Europe as well as international services to Asia, North America and Africa. Swiss also owns subsidiary unit, Swiss Global Air Lines. Swiss International Airlines is also the launch customer for the Bombardier CS100 aircraft.

What are you entitled to if your flight with SWISS is delayed?

In the case of a flight delay of more than 2 hours, the SWISS ground staff must offer you free meal and drink tickets according to the waiting time required. In addition, the user is entitled to two telephone calls, fax messages or e-mails.

In the event that an overnight stay is necessary, the SWISS company must provide accommodation, daily allowance and travel to and from the airport from the place of accommodation.

In addition, reimbursement and return flight. If your flight is delayed for more than 5 hours, in addition to assistance, you are entitled to a refund, within 7 days, of the full cost of the unused leg(s). It may also be the case that SWISS must provide you with a return flight to the first point of departure in the event that you have already made the first leg and miss the connecting flight.

What compensation am I entitled to if SWISS's flight is delayed?

Compensation for delay of a flight from SWISS

The delay entitling you to compensation is calculated according to the time of arrival at your destination. If you arrive at your destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled time, you are also entitled to claim financial compensation, except if the delay is due to extraordinary circumstances such as weather conditions. The amount to be received will vary depending on the distance to the destination.

• Up to 1500 km, it is 250 euros.
• Between 1501 and 3500 km, it is 400 euros.
• If the distance exceeds 3500 km, then the amount to be claimed is 600 euros.

What should SWISS compensate in case of cancellation?

In case of cancellation by the air carrier SWISS, a flight has to be made with compensation to the passenger. The only exception is if the cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided (political instability, weather conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight, safety risks, unexpected flight safety shortcomings, airport congestion, air traffic management and strikes affecting the air carrier's operations).

If the air carrier SWISS gives the passenger between two weeks and seven days notice of the cancellation of the flight in advance of the scheduled departure time, and if the passenger is offered re-routing that allows him/her to depart no more than two hours before the original departure of the flight, then he/she cannot claim compensation on the grounds of the cancellation. Furthermore, SWISS must also ensure that he/she arrives at his/her final destination less than four hours later than the scheduled arrival time of the originally contracted flight.

If SWISS is notified to the passenger less than seven days before the scheduled departure time and the passenger is not offered another flight that allows him/her to depart no more than one hour before the original departure time of his/her flight, then the passenger of SWISS may claim under similar conditions as for the delay. The criterion will be according to the length of the flight for a higher or lower amount: for flights of less than 1,500 km it will be EUR 250.

For intra-Community flights of more than 1,500 km the amount will rise to 400 euros and for the rest of the trips, between 1,500 and 3,500 km, as well as the rest of the flights not included in the previous points, the amount will rise to 600 euros. Compensation will be paid by bank transfer.

What if you are denied boarding at SWISS?

If you are at the airport and are refused boarding, speak to SWISS staff on the ground. They will be able to provide you with information on how to make alternative travel arrangements, as well as claim compensation and request reimbursement of the voucher if you ultimately decline to travel.

As in the previous cases, SWISS must pay for ground transport, accommodation, food and drink. However, this will be to the extent that the costs are in line with SWISS's expense policy. You will also be entitled to compensation in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. To check what you are entitled to claim, it is advisable to look at the information on your rights in case of flight delays or cancellations (also due to overbooking) of SWISS.

For flights of less than 1500 km, the amount is 250 euros. Between 1501 to 3500 km, then it will go up to 400 euros. In case of overbooking on flights over 3500 km, the compensation can be up to 600 euros.

What should SWISS compensate in case of an incident with my luggage?

There can be several incidents with your luggage. There may be a delay with your luggage, your luggage may have been lost or one or more of them may have been broken in transit. In any of the three cases, it is up to SWISS to solve it.

What should I do at the airport if my luggage has not arrived?

Before leaving the baggage claim area, please proceed to the Lost and Found office. Once at the office you will be given a Baggage Irregularity Report (BIR) to report the incident, give a description of your baggage and start tracking your bag. The P.I.R. is a reference number with an associated code that you will need to keep for future reference and claims. Please ensure that the description of the baggage is as detailed as possible to make it easier to locate.

SWISS will arrange for the luggage to be sent to the customer within 24 hours. Under normal conditions, most baggage is located and delivered within 72 hours.

In the case of P.I.R., the search for the luggage starts through a system that integrates all airports. SWISS with this tool should locate your luggage, then inform you via SMS, email or phone, and take care of getting it to you as soon as possible to the address indicated in the P.I.R. If you want to indicate a new shipping address, please contact the company to update it.

In the meantime, you can check the latest information on the location of your suitcase by accessing the WorldTracer search system with the P.I.R. code.

What to do if my luggage has been damaged by SWISS?

In the event that SWISS has damaged your bag, please proceed to the Lost and Found office before leaving the baggage claim area. Once you have arrived at the Lost and Found office, you should be given a Baggage Irregularity Report (BIR).

This is a document necessary to report the incident and follow up on it. However, it should be noted that in the event of damage to your baggage caused by baggage handling (such as minor marks or scratches), airlines are not obliged to cover such damage.

Compensation for baggage delay or damage will be paid 21 calendar days after receipt of the baggage (delayed or lost) or the damage to the baggage has been proven by SWISS. For the latter, remember the P-I.R that you had to fill in. Complete the form below within 7 calendar days of receipt of the damaged baggage.

Please note the following: You need to fill in the form with the written details exactly as they appear on the documentation given to you by SWISS at the airport. In addition, remember to have the original documentation at hand, also at the time of delivery of your damaged baggage. Along with the completed PIR, also the damaged bag tag, boarding pass and itinerary and a photocopy of your ID card or passport.

Amount to be claimed in case of baggage damage by SWISS

In this specific case of the amount for broken luggage there is no exact rate. However, you are entitled to compensation of up to €1,400 in the event of delay, damage, theft or loss of your baggage.