RandomBaritone

Thanks so much! That'll be a big help toward making the layover feel luxurious rather than tiresome.

As for the city visit, we'll see if I can sell the hubby on the idea. I've been to Zürich several times and find it charming, if a bit staid. He's never been, but after our tiring whirlwind visit to Tokyo recently, I fear his default preference will be to hunker down at the airport. Also, I'm sure he'll worry that I'll want to buy a watch. He may be right.

Even for passengers in J? What a ridiculous, frustrating policy.

YuropFlyer

Unfortunately, neither cabin class nor status does count anything at LX in such case. Unless you're in a fully flexible booking class, AND that booking class isn't zeroed out (very popular strategy at the whole Lufthansa group to put everything but full fare Y and J on 0 some hours or even days before departure) at the time you're there, you can't move (at all or free of charge, as in buying-up to a higher booking class) for free. Even if anyone realistic would see your later flight being highly overbooked.. personal experience, not just of myself but plenty more people on this board..

RandomBaritone

One more quick question: if we check bags, can we check them all the way through BOS>ZRH>ARN, or will we have to retrieve and re-check them at ZRH for some kind of customs inspection?

PetzLUX

Bags will be checked through.
Customs will be in ARN.

RandomBaritone

Excellent, thanks. Aren't there some itineraries when connecting in Europe from outside that also require separate customs checks? I thought that's what Schengen was....

duvin

No, Schengen is about immigration. Customs is country-specific.

PetzLUX

Passport check in ZRH (here you enter Schengen) just after the short train ride from dock E to A/B. Customs at final destination.

RandomBaritone

Well, that trip I mentioned is just 48 hours away, and for some unfathomable reason LX hasn't released any award space to UA on their earlier ZRH>ARN flight, even though it's only 20% full!

I'm just baffled at this point. They're going to refuse to let a J customer stand by for an earlier flight, even if I'm willing to sit in Y? More than a dozen rows are empty. What could be the business purpose of such a policy?

I appreciate that your earlier answers were unequivocal though, so I'll be as sweet as honey to the gate agent, even when she laughs at my standby suggestion. And I suppose I might buy a watch. Since I'll have time to visit the city center, any suggestions as to places where I might get a good deal on a modestly priced (roughly €1,000) mechanical watch?

8420PR

The number of seats reserved is no indication that the flight is empty, as the majority of people typically don't make seat reservations in EU.

RandomBaritone

That's helpful, though the information I've gotten in this thread is unanimous that even if it were in fact only 20% full, LX wouldn't lift a finger to move us to the earlier flight.

fassy

Indeed, they won't. The Standby concept as known in US isn't used in Europe. Basically the only chance to change a flight last minute to an earlier/ later flight is to be on a flexible ticket and pay the fare difference (if any)

I managed one time to get on an earlier LX flight home for free since the later flight was overbooked by a significant number of pax and due to weather it didn't look the situation will get any better... So the best LX could do is getting as much people in their way as they could.

orbitmic

In most likelihood, whether honey or vinegar, you will just be wasting your time. As explained, European airlines do not do standby. The only chance you would stand is if it fits their purpose (e.g. your flight is badly overbooked so they'd rather have one fewer customer on it).

Swiss watches will typically be more expensive in Switzerland than in many other countries.

airoli

This may be the case right now, given the current CHF exchange rates to other major currencies.

However, in the past 10 years or so, whenever I compared prices for watches in the target price range of $1000 (e.g. Tissot or Longines), they were cheapest in Switzerland.

ymmot73

Hello everyone,

I am flying from BCN to ZUR and then onto LAX in Swiss paid First. There is an earlier morning flight to ZUR that I would prefer to be on. Does Swiss allow one to get on an earlier flight on the same day (space permitting) without the change fee? Would be tempted to get to the airport for the earlier flight if it were possible. The US Airlines allow this but not sure about the Europeans.

Thanks so much!

fanb

If you bought BCN-ZRH-LAX on one ticket i presume the BCN-ZRH is in the highest Business Class so you should be able to rebook it and not pay any tariff difference , cant be sure about the change fee. I would advice you to call and rebook it i advance , don't wait too long before the flight (so you're sure your meal is loaded )