jenniparks

Thanks everyone for your kind help. Here is the final word on the situation.

I finally got an answer on the afterhours emergency line at the US embassy in Bern. (After trying for quite a while and getting no answer). There is zero that can be done until Tues morning. The whole system is shut down today for the weekend and tomorrow for the US holiday (damn damn damn labor day). Also, the consulate in zurich cannot process a new passport or the temp papers to get me home post 9/11. I have to travel to Bern to get the documentation Tues morning.

I called Delta again who verified there is a notation on my pnr about the lost passport and that they are requesting ground ops here that i be let board but again they cannot promise that ops on the ground here at ZRH will actually let me board. I have to go to the airport tomorrow morning when they open and beg for mercy/cry on the counter/etc. If that doesn't work husband and i will stay at the airport overnight probably since our funds were all used up on this trip already and take the train to bern tues morning to get the passport. he can't leave the country b/c he is my only verification of identity at this point according to police and embassy.

The only remaining terror point now is whether delta will reschedule my flight as a courtesy or whether they are going to deny such request and require a walk up ticket [which we could never afford].

This is one trip i will never forget.

Jenni

btw, if anyone happens to be local in ZRH and wants to say hello to hubby and i while we are here you can buzz me at the Rens zurich room 415 044-874-5000. We will be here until tomorrow am when we check out to go to airport. Would stay another night but the rates are crazy expensive on a mon night it seems.

NYCFlyGirl

Do you have a photocopy of your passport with you (or is there someone at home who could fax you one)? While the airlines aren't supposed to let you board with just a copy of a passport and a police report that the original was stolen, I've heard that it sometimes works.

pbarnette

Sorry to hear about this. Unfortunately, I am in the process of moving this weekend and am not around - I do wish I could have at least offered a place to sleep.

I see that you are SPG Gold, so I am guessing you have some points... I would call SPG and see about booking into the Four Points SihlCity. Supposed to be pretty good and a load better than spending the night at the airport.

Best of luck.

Dovster

Jenni, it is my experience that both government bureaucrats and employees of large organizations will always try to do what is easiest for them.

Having that request in your PNR from Delta should make it easier for the check in clerk to let you board than to keep you off.

Likewise, the police report should make it easier for Passport Control to allow you out of Zurich than to keep you in the country.

If you can make it to the States, with your husband there to vouch for you, Immigration will question you for a while but will eventually let you into the country.

BostonPaul

No fewer than 9 FT'ers responded with advice or words of encouragement within 3 hours of Jenni's initial request. What a great group of people here on FT. ^^^^^^^^^

Jenni - hope all goes well on Tuesday. Wish I had more words of advice, but it seems you may be covered. Please let us know how it all turns out.

Canarsie

I hope this helps get the word out. I am sorry to learn of your terrible experience. I will try to think of what else I can do to assist you.

Good luck to you, jenniparks.

jenniparks

Thanks Canarsie. and i'd like to humbly request if anyone has any spare hotel points that i could use to book a room in Zurich or Bern tomorrow night if they won't let me on the plane tomorrow to please PM me. I am gold with SPG and Hilton but only by way of promotions/matching and don't actually have any points. If the request is not allowed, i understand.

soitgoes

You might consider the Day Room options at ZRH (also available overnight):
http://www.zurich-airport.com/deskto...aspx/tabid-154

Richey66

Jenni don't you have any open credit card left or is no-one really able to send you some money thru Western Union?
Regarding cheapest possible accommodation: Priceline could be another option.

jenniparks

I am ok with monies at this point. All the credit cards were canceled and I now have access to an open one. The stress is more of the cash that was stolen ($150) plus the rest of the items (cell phone for work ($500), ebook reader ($250), noise cancelling headphones ($140) and passport (priceless, without it i am stuck here in ZRH).

Dovster

Jenni, I am just curious -- where were all these things? Were they in one bag stolen at the airport, in your hotel room, somewhere in between?

YuropFlyer

Hope all things get better soon - as said on the phone, feel free to call my wife whenever you need any help on your upcoming activities in Switzerland.

jenniparks

I have a big oversized leather purse kinda like this:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...a%3DN%26um%3D1

and all of that was in there. Plus my car key for my car at home just thought of that. *sigh* anyway, it was all in there, i was at ZRH outside at the bus/tram ticket machine. i set down my purse for a moment to have both hands free to work the machine to buy a tram ticket. i got my ticket and change and walked over about 100 feet to the tram pickup area and realized i'd set my bag down. i ran back over and of course it was gone. filed reports with lost and found police, the bus company [since all the buses pickup right there in that area]. i was just so tired after a whirlwind weekend of driving around the country and having a great time that i was distracted and momentarily forgot.

jjglaze77

Wow! I'm very sorry to hear of the situation jenniparks! I have actually had to deal with several of your situations recently and here is how:

1. Emergency Passport - I was recently forced to get a new passport in the middle of a journey. My mishap was in Paris and I had to wait until Monday to get access to the embassy. However, once inside it took no more than 2 hours to receive a brand new temporary passport. I had very low expectations (having no previous experience with US embassies), but I was very happy to see how quickly they were able to help. I did have some identifying documents, however.

2. Delta Rebooking - At the time of the incident above, I was on a DL award ticket. After we got my passport, we went to the DL CDG ticket counter and within 5 minutes of arriving and explaining the situation, the agent had our tickets reissued at no charge. In fact, there was never a mention of a charge (I was expecting at least a reissue fee), but instead sincere apologies for the whole inconvenience!

3. Credit Card - Also around the same time as the above, I discovered my debit card had been canceled due to suspected fraudulent activity. So, I called in to my bank and was then connected to "Visa 911" where they arranged for a priority overnight shipment of a replacement card. I would spend the rest of the evening trying to get that taken care of if I were you.

As far as your flights are concerned, as other have pointed out, I have little expectation of them allowing you to board without a travel document. Definitely go to the airport and ask to speak to the manager immediately. Having recently done a ZRH trip and working with several of the agents (even the Swissport ones), I found them to be very helpful, courteous, and knowledgeable. Explain everything to them and see what they say. I did take a look at ExpertFlyer and here is the availability display for the DL flights:

9/8
ZRH-JFK: Does not operate
ZRH-ATL: J9 D9 S9 I9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 K9 L9 U9 T9

9/9
ZRH-JFK: J7 D7 S7 I7 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 K9 L9 U9 T9
ZRH-ATL: J9 D9 S9 I9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 K9 L9 U9 T9

In other words, the flights are wide open, so there should be no problem in getting you back to the states when you have some kind of travel document in hand. Because you will have to go to Bern on Tuesday, I'd say you will not be able to get home Tuesday even if you get a new passport. The ATL flight leaves at 10AM and the JFK flight does not operate. If they will not let you board on Monday, I'd ask to get booked in the ATL flight on Wednesday morning. Also, in regards to your hotel situation: I stayed at the Park Inn ZRH (free shuttle) and according to the auditor's coupon the DL agent had me sign, the room only cost DL 60CHF ($50ish). Again, if you cannot go home Monday, ask the agents at the airport to print a distressed travelers hotel voucher. That way, you will only pay DL's contracted rate. I found the room to be more than adequate.

I hope that helps! Please let us know how everything comes out!

kahuna613

hey jenni-
so sorry to hear about what happened....Im going to arriving at ZRH tomorrow around 1215, and if there is any way I can help, let me know...

(we came across from the US together on Thursday night, but Ive been up in the alps, fyi everyone else)