Swiss Intl Air Lines

✅ Trip Verified | This review concerns post-flight customer service. I flew with Swiss Air on Aug 4 from Tel Aviv to San Francisco via Zurich. Since I was dreading the possibility of sitting in a center seat flanked by two strangers during the COVID pandemic, I purchased reserved seating to ensure an aisle seat on both flights. The reservation, for which I paid 70 US dollars, was made already in May. Shortly before the flight Swiss sent me an email informing me that they changed my seat assignment. They did not disclose the position of the reassigned seat, but wrote that they have done their “utmost to assign an adequate seat”. When I boarded the plane, I discovered that they had placed me in a center seat, flanked by two strangers who did not keep their masks on – exactly the scenario I was trying to avoid. On the official SWISS airlines website I see the following: Might SWISS change the seat I reserve in advance, later on? If SWISS has to change your seat reservation, e.g. due to a short-notice change to the aircraft type used, SWISS will do its best to automatically reserve you a new seat in the seat category you have booked. If it is not possible to reserve an equal seat for you, you may apply to receive a Refund of the charge online. Upon arriving to my destination, I filed a request for a refund. I was answered 11 days later by a customer feedback consultant, she flatly refused my claim. When I politely pointed to her that the official website states that I am entitled to a refund she gave this rude answer: “SWISS has responded adequately in your case. I therefore trust in your understanding that this message reflects our final position and that this file is now considered closed.” I was shocked by her response, and asked her for contact information for her supervisor, which she completely ignored. I then tried calling the US customer service phone number. I tried twice, but gave up after waiting for 60 minutes each time. This airline has the worst customer service I have encountered in a long time.

✅ Trip Verified | These are times of great stress and it is easy for travellers to make mistakes when booking. A good airline tries to make allowances for this, exercising their discretion to be generous. Swiss International is NOT such an airline. I originally booked a light economy ticket leaving on 5/8/21 and needed to change my dates. I couldn't get through on the internet and tried to do so via phone. The person I spoke to on the phone gave me incorrect information. They said the money had not yet been taken for the first ticket, so I could just cancel it and should buy a new ticket. I thought that what they said was correct. I later found that the money for the first ticket had been taken, that I was given the wrong information. That person even suggested I keep both tickets in case the first flights were cancelled. Eventually, just before I flew, I panicked and just asked to have the taxes refunded, not the whole ticket. When I tried to have the issue reconsidered, I was told that no refund would be forthcoming. I am very disappointed in Swiss International and hope that I can use my usual airline for travel to Switzerland, Easyjet, for all future trips. I would advise others to keep away from this airline.

Not Verified | SWISS Airlines cancelled my flight due to Covid and has refused to issue me a voucher or to pay me back. I can’t get through to anyone when I try and call and none of my emails are being answered. They are stealing from customers - don’t use!

✅ Trip Verified | I booked the very first row in business, the throne seat on the left. The seat is good, although very narrow for Business Class, but very private. The airplane has been retrofitted to the new design, so it looked very nice. I liked the design of the small business cabin in front of the galley, but the when but put into flat-bed, the seat was more like a coffin. The pillows are small, and you do not get a comforter or a seat topper like on most other airlines. The service was distant, and the food just OK (I used to work in my younger years as a Swissair Flight Attendant, so I know what to expect and this was a huge let-down). Swissair was proud of having a multilingual crew, but now is was reduced to 2 languages. The crew was not trained in wine-pairing, and had no idea of food allergies!

✅ Trip Verified | Still top notch service: that is post takeoff drinks, surprisingly good meal with drinks, after meal drinks, can always pop back to the galley for a drink, and nice prelanding snack with 2 drink runs. Friendly FAs, good choice of movies, great service.

✅ Trip Verified | I like to spoil myself and the family a couple of times a year, selecting Swiss Business Class. This flight was just myself travelling CPH/ZRH/FLR/ZRH/CPH in Business Class. The service onboard has gone down hill, now there is only one cabin member serving Business Class. Furthermore, the procedures have changed now their complete every passenger with meal, drinks, top up etc before moving down the cabin. This means that the last rows are lucky to even get served on a short route. Final leg I had 15 minutes before arrival. I noticed the seat pockets in front of me had not been cleaned but rubbish had been left from the previous passengers. But anyway, here is the absolute shocking experience happened upon arrival. My bag (and the bag of several others) did not arrive. Our flight was over 2 hrs delayed and all onward connections were lost. When I found out that my bag was not onboard, I went to the handling agent (Aviator CPH) desk - empty. No bell to ring, neighbouring desk also empty. So, I had to leave the Airport with no report. Since then I have tried to phone Aviators - no reply. Emailed Swiss in ZRH, no reply. Wrote to the on FB - got a reply to say please fill out this form. However the system says unable to complete this form if you boarded on a self service airport. I didn't self service, I was checked in at the Business Class desk. I give up now, I consider the bag lost - I donate it to CPH Airport. Enjoy. I for one will never fly Swiss again, all these nice words about service are easy but in real life I have a very bad experience. Sad and Bad.

✅ Trip Verified | Excellent service by staff on the ground and in the air, very friendly and efficient service on board, excellent safety record and exemplary cleanliness of aircraft. Very modern brand new B777 aircraft.

✅ Trip Verified | It is been more than 1 year since my flight got cancelled and I am still waiting for the company to process my refund. 1 year is more than enough time to manage it. I am very disappointed.

✅ Trip Verified | New York to Istanbul with SWISS and connecting to Pegasus Airlines to Istanbul. I prepared all documents needed to travel prior my flight and when checking in NY JFK I was told that all documents are correct (pcr test) and the dates were valid, as soon as I get to Zurich to catch the Pegasus Airlines flight to Istanbul I am surprised by the agent notifying me and my friend traveling with me that our PCR tests dates are invalid and that we will miss the original booked flight and unfortunately we did miss the flight and were told we have an option to be booked back to NY which was totally unprofessional and unacceptable. So in order for us to resolve our situation on our own with absolutely horrible assistance from Swiss to find a reasonable solution we had to pay $165 each for a PCR test done in Zurich which results arrive after 5 hours and we had to book separate tickets to Istanbul $400 by Turkish airlines which happened to be the only flight available that day in order for us to arrive on time for our booked medical operation in Istanbul. So overall the worst experience for me in an airline and unreasonable judgment from Swiss airlines for PCR testing dates which is impossible to get prior the flight, note in US testing centers have a 2-3 business day time frame to get results and our flight was on Sunday (Saturday &sunday are weekends). I contacted the customer service and asked them that we would like as a courtesy for this experience to get a reimbursement for the additional expenses, and their response was it’s the traveler responsibility to make sure all documents are valid, even though they let us travel from JFK to Zurich and they have the final destination and could have told us that our PCR won’t be valid when i get to zurich. MY ADVICE don’t ever travel with this cheap airline. Thank you

✅ Trip Verified | Atrocious customer service. Cancelled my flight booked for 29 May 2021, now lying about refunding. No point cancelling flight if you don’t then want to refund people back when you fail to provide the service.