Swiss International Airlines - Forced overnight in ZRH - does LX provide STPC voucher?

I'll be flying MAD-DAR in Y in January, and the itinerary requires an overnight in ZRH. Does LX provide STPC vouchers to cover the hotel in such a case?

Many thanks in advance,
Michael

No, they don't. "Forced" overnights are overnights which were imposed on you by unforeseen circumstances (such as cancellations, schedule changes etc.). You are looking at a routing option which reguarly includes an overnight layover in ZRH. If you decide to buy this, then it is your responsibility to have a plan for the night.

Some airlines, in some promotions, do cover such costs to encourage you to use their crappy hubs (RJ in AMM and QR in DOH come to mind), but LX is not part of that group.

No, they don't. "Forced" overnights are overnights which were imposed on you by unforeseen circumstances (such as cancellations, schedule changes etc.). You are looking at a routing option which reguarly includes an overnight layover in ZRH. If you decide to buy this, then it is your responsibility to have a plan for the night.

Some airlines, in some promotions, do cover such costs to encourage you to use their crappy hubs (RJ in AMM and QR in DOH come to mind), but LX is not part of that group.


In the past Swiss use to announce in their spanish web that they would cover overnight expenses in Zurich for C pax that had not a connexion on the same day, but I have not seen this for quite a while now.

No, they don't. "Forced" overnights are overnights which were imposed on you by unforeseen circumstances (such as cancellations, schedule changes etc.). You are looking at a routing option which reguarly includes an overnight layover in ZRH. If you decide to buy this, then it is your responsibility to have a plan for the night.

Some airlines, in some promotions, do cover such costs to encourage you to use their crappy hubs (RJ in AMM and QR in DOH come to mind), but LX is not part of that group.

OK, perhaps my wording was off.

As far as what some airlines do (or don't do) in such a situation, providing an STPC voucher is not necessarily restricted to promotions or "crappy" hubs - I've regularly gotten STPC vouchers in BKK (TG), KUL (MH - at the very nice airport Pan-Pacific), and ICN (OZ), all when flying in Y. But perhaps this practice (like many other nice touches) is more common in Asia.

- michael (trying to adjust to not flying Asian airlines...)

For anyone interested: LX did supply (via my travel agent) an STPC voucher to cover the hotel on our overnight stop in ZRH. Note that this was for travel in Y, not C.

The voucher is for the Welcome Inn, a three-star hotel in Kloten, a few minutes from the airport. Nothing amazing, but should be sufficient for sleeping (we arrive around 10 pm and the onward flight leaves at 9 am the next morning).

Kudos to LX, and FYI for anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation...

- Michael

For anyone interested: LX did supply (via my travel agent) an STPC voucher to cover the hotel on our overnight stop in ZRH. Note that this was for travel in Y, not C.lWow! This is the first time that I hear of such an offer... very cool, thanks for sharing. Do you have any details on the conditions of this deal? Is it temporary or country-or-origin-specific?

My previous requests always fell on deaf ears.

Edited to add: So, does this mean that LX considers ZRH a "crappy" airport in need of such incentives now? :eek:

Wow! This is the first time that I hear of such an offer... very cool, thanks for sharing. Do you have any details on the conditions of this deal? Is it temporary or country-or-origin-specific?

My previous requests always fell on deaf ears.

Edited to add: So, does this mean that LX considers ZRH a "crappy" airport in need of such incentives now? :eek:

I don't have any details on the deal. I asked my not-too-competent travel agent (expecting a "no"), and she said - why, yes, they do. (Which begs the question: why didn't she mention this upfront? Answer: see "not-too-competent".)

I would guess, based on my experience with other airlines, that this is not about the hub per se (increasing business or revenues for the hub, or making the hub more attractive), but is rather a means of competing with other airlines that offer schedules which don't require an overnight. There aren't too many choices when flying to DAR, but it may be that either the KL or BA flights offer connections from Madrid with no overnight. (I didn't really look at KL/BA, as I'm *G, flying Y and need to requalify.)

Also based on previous experience, airlines don't go out of their way to advertise STPC availability - so if you don't ask for it, you don't get anything.

- michael

There aren't too many choices when flying to DAR, but it may be that either the KL or BA flights offer connections from Madrid with no overnight. (I didn't really look at KL/BA, as I'm *G, flying Y and need to requalify.)
- michael
KL, BA both offer same day connex several days a week. also MS has a very decent connection, safe for maybe an overnight on an A320, but Y should be Y irrespective of equipment.
KL:
KL 1708 MADAMS 0555 0840 737
KL 569 AMSDAR 1105 2335 777

BA:
BA/IB 7060 MADLHR 1515 1635 321
BA 47 LHRDAR 1850 0725‡1 767

MS:
MS 754 MADCAI 1505 2035 738
MS 841 CAIDAR 2230 0520‡1 320

also MS has a very decent connection, safe for maybe an overnight on an A320, but Y should be Y irrespective of equipment.
MS:
MS 754 MADCAI 1505 2035 738
MS 841 CAIDAR 2230 0520‡1 320

Thanks for the info.

The problem with MS is that it requires an overnight on the DAR-MAD segment, which we didn't want to deal with this time....

- michael

"Forced" overnights are overnights which were imposed on you by unforeseen circumstances (such as cancellations, schedule changes etc.). You are looking at a routing option which reguarly includes an overnight layover in ZRH. If you decide to buy this, then it is your responsibility to have a plan for the night.
This is not the way many large airlines have seen things over the years.
STPC have long been the industry norm on many large airlines in the US, Europe, and Asia, although the rules on who qualifies and where have become more restrictive in recent years. I have often heard the term "forced overnight" used by airlines when requesting and receiving STPC hotel.

Some airlines, in some promotions, do cover such costs to encourage you to use their crappy hubs (RJ in AMM and QR in DOH come to mind)
STPC is not "some promotions." It has been the airline industry standard (though often excluding cheap fares, depending on airline/route and perhaps promotion).

I book my own tickets and travel extensively worldwide. My experience with STPC is it has NEVER been offered to me by an airline. However, it was often available to request when I brought it up. Also, not all airline agents know about STPC and getting hotel booked for free (STPC) would often take more than one call to the airline. With many airlines (like UA), STPC only applies to full fare/premium cabin tickets.

My impression is airlines prefer not to offer STPC unless the traveller expects it...saves the airline money while retaining business from savvy FF who know about STPC.

For anyone interested: LX did supply (via my travel agent) an STPC voucher to cover the hotel on our overnight stop in ZRH. Note that this was for travel in Y, not C.

The voucher is for the Welcome Inn, a three-star hotel in Kloten, a few minutes from the airport. Nothing amazing, but should be sufficient for sleeping (we arrive around 10 pm and the onward flight leaves at 9 am the next morning).

Kudos to LX, and FYI for anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation...

- Michael

Michael, thanks for this update. Anyways, I stayed at this Welcome Inn Kloten a couple months ago. Its a very nice and clean property. They have a shuttle bus every 30 minutes to and from ZRH (FREE).
Free internet access in the lobby for guests. There is an amazing cafe right across the street from the hotel for breakfast!
Have fun!