Swiss International Airlines - checkin time in CAI / return on same flight poss.?

Swiss states 75 minutes min. checkin time for CAI. Flying back on the same plane leaves 80 minutes between arrival and departure.

We plan to arrive on an eco ticket and fly back on a first ticket.

Any tips on how to do that? Is there a way to already get the return boarding passes (separate ticket) in ZRH? Ask the purser to help with the return bp's?

Swiss states 75 minutes min. checkin time for CAI. Flying back on the same plane leaves 80 minutes between arrival and departure.

We plan to arrive on an eco ticket and fly back on a first ticket.

Any tips on how to do that? Is there a way to already get the return boarding passes (separate ticket) in ZRH? Ask the purser to help with the return bp's?


Yes you can ask in ZRH for both BPs at check-in.

I did I quite a lot of times when I did the MR out of GVA.
Sometimes I did 6-8 segments in a day.. with 2-4 diff tkets...
You should be fine.. specially if you have NO LUGGAGES...

Good trip,

kooks ;)

While I cannot answer your question, at least some thoughts...

Return Checkin is destination specific, like web checkin.
It works for some destinations, and it does not work for others.
Just about all of Europe is fine, but I'm unsure about CAI.

I would inquire with Swiss before departure if it's available or not.
If you use the online contact form AND indicate your PNR Number,
they'll reply. Swiss.com / Contact / Exisiting reservation.
(Much better to include the PNR, they see if it's close
before departure and then they're really quick to reply.)

I would at the same time inquire if you need to clear immigration or not.

If you think it's going to be tight, I would kindly ask the transfer desk at ZRH to advice CAI by telex about your connection. Sure they will help a FC pax.

Once on board, it's too late do achieve much. The purser will try to calm you down by saying everything is fine, but he can not do much for you.

Forget it if you need to clear immigration, queues are unpredictable but you can get stuck for up to one hour there (LH, 2x AZ, OS and LX, as well as a bunch of flights from the Gulf arrive in CAI at more or less the same time); moreover I cannot remember one single time flight LX236 arriving on time; in fact most of the time they tend to make up time by shortening turnaround to 1 hour or even less. So make sure you don't need to clear immigration, otherwise I doubt it can be done.

Even if you don't have a BP for the return you can use the transit. Do a search, especially on the Star and OneWorld Forums and you will find lots of information.

Yes you can ask in ZRH for both BPs at check-in

BUT only if you have an eticket - be careful when you book your ticket and select the right option (if available ;)

Yes you can ask in ZRH for both BPs at check-in.

I did I quite a lot of times when I did the MR out of GVA.

Seriously? How did you do that? I tried it 2 times in GVA for 6 segments MR ex GVA and they have never been able to do it :td:
In contrast, in BCN and STR it worked without any problems. ^
It works for some destinations, and it does not work for others.
Just about all of Europe is fine, but I'm unsure about CAI.

Partially agree with you (see above), but ok, maybe I just had the wrong check-in desk. At that time, I did not have status on STC (LX), so phone check-in was not an option.

BUT only if you have an eticket - be careful when you book your ticket and select the right option (if available ;)

Well, paper ticket it is... :(

Thanks so far for all the infos here!

and the tickets are in CAI ...

may you can reissue the tickets here in ZRH for an additional fee (CHF 200)

Swiss states 75 minutes min. checkin time for CAI. Flying back on the same plane leaves 80 minutes between arrival and departure.

We plan to arrive on an eco ticket and fly back on a first ticket.

Any tips on how to do that? Is there a way to already get the return boarding passes (separate ticket) in ZRH? Ask the purser to help with the return bp's?

SHOULD not be a problem, use the standard transit procedure, I am not sure if return boarding passes help, if you return on the same plane transit staff may be bewildered and ask funny questions. In any case you should be prepared to stay in CAI for the night if worse comes to worse.

and the tickets are in CAI ...

may you can reissue the tickets here in ZRH for an additional fee (CHF 200)

No - I already have the tickets in hand.

Well, I guess I wait for the new schedule after Oct 30 and look into other possibilities for flying into CAI earlier same day. If there are non (LH, OS, maybe AZ, KL, AF) I will have to try for that same-plane return...

No - I already have the tickets in hand.

Well, I guess I wait for the new schedule after Oct 30 and look into other possibilities for flying into CAI earlier same day. If there are non (LH, OS, maybe AZ, KL, AF) I will have to try for that same-plane return...

in case you can't do a same day conection, might I suggest the very comfortable IC Citystar a stone's throw from CAI :D

No - I already have the tickets in hand.

in this case you are on the safe side, ie. it should be possible to get the BPs in Zurich AND to check your luggage directly to the final destination (without the ZRH-CAI-ZRH leg).

No matter what happens, I :-: STRONGLY!!!!! :-: advise against staying in transit. Almost missed my flight that way. They take away your passport to get you checked in by the airline even if you are already checked-in and do not get it back until they feel they are done with everything, which in my case was probably over 40 minutes as I recall. Do yourself a favor, buy the stamp for the visa at a bank counter, clear immigration and go to the check-in area yourself. Then reexit the country.

A lot faster.

Seriously? How did you do that? I tried it 2 times in GVA for 6 segments MR ex GVA and they have never been able to do it :td:
In contrast, in BCN and STR it worked without any problems. ^


All the MR I did last year from GVA-PAR and then to ZRH-Stutgart...
I only did the route from GVA to Stutgart via Par ( very good connections..)

The printed my BP at the GVA gate a few times and when I arrived late they printed all the rest of the BP in PAR.

It worked out very got for me... ;)

kooks