sfosenkid

Hi,

quick question:

When I fly from ZRH (with Swiss) to one of: CPH, OSL, STO, GOT.

.. and when I then depart on the same aircraft going straight back to ZRH (as part of a MR).

How does that work at the airports listed above? I assume no immigration, since it's all Schengen?

BUT:
- Any bus gates? If yes, how is the timing (does one have to go through security again, how much walking).
- If no bus gate: Can one just deplane, and wait right at the gate to board again, or does one have to go through security again, or otherwise walk long distances that could jeopardize a 30-60min turnaround time?

Please answer the questions for each airport, if they differ.

(assumption: no checked bags, electronic boarding passes on phone).

Thanks.

aidanc

ZRH and the airports you mention are all in the Schengen area, so no passport control.

OSL may cause problems because of customs, and arriving and departing passengers do not mix. There is a "quick connection" option in OSL for connecting flights, or you can exit to the public area, and head back in.

I'd do STO (ARN), as you'll get dropped out into the main T5 departure hall, and all you need to do is turn yourself around and wait for boarding.

I believe the same should be possible for CPH - if you get a gate arrival. No separation of arriving and departing passengers in the Schengen area.

fassy

Go for CPH. Very easy there.

LH4116

I would say that Stockholm is your safest bet. As someone earlier pointed out, you're dropped into the gate area upon deboarding so you can basically just wait there until boarding is called again. Also there are no bus gates at all to worry about, since the airport is running at undercapacity.

oliver2002

+1 on CPH and ARN. OSL is no good. In ARN they use the non *A end of T5, but like CPH, you deplane and can get on board right away again.

sfosenkid

So in ARN, I am guaranteed to always get gate arrival (no bus), and it's literally a few minutes from the place where I get off when deplaning until I can re-board?

Do Swiss flights from ZRH to CPH ever get bus arrivals in CPH?
Eg I am looking at LX1266 (arr 9:00am) and LX1267 (dept 9:40am). Will I be guaranteed to make this connection? Or could I miss it, if I get a bus gate?

Thanks.

oliver2002

CPH and ARN will get a proper gate, you walk off the aircraft, visit a lounge, come back, board again. LH turns their cityline aircraft at CPH in 25 mins and I still had time to get a drink in the lounge. In ARN LX doesn't use the SAS pier of T5 but the other one. So there the lounge is a bit farther away. ARN T5 usually doesn't have bus gates, unless you are flying on ATRs operated by SAS.

kletmart

I have booked one of those discounted first fares on Swiss departing from Oslo.

I'm living close to Z�rich. So I need to book a flight from ZRH to Oslo to start my "First Class Journey" from Oslo.
Unfortunately there are not many choices from ZRH to OSL on that day. Actually, the only flight I could book is the flight ZRH-OSL (16.45 - 19.05). This is the flight on the plane that will take me back to ZRH directly, departing at 19.40 in OSL.
So i will have only 35 minutes. I'm going to travel only with a small carry-on.

Do you think I can make this transfer in Oslo? I have never been to Oslo, so I'm not familiar with the airport.

The flight ZRH-OSL-ZRH will be on a Avro-Jet (Jumbolino). Is this type of aircraft usually parked on a midfield position in Oslo? I guess this would make the transfer more difficult, as the bus ride to the main terminal take up too much time.

Thank you very much for your advice.

fassy

Should be doable but would be much too tight for my taste... some hickup and you might miss your first class trip. And you are not protected through the airline for rebooking as your feeder trip is on a separate ticket.

FlyingMoose

If it's not on a single itinerary and you would thus not be automatically rebooked I would not take a 35 minute layover either.

Single itinerary and it's no problem.

view

Since you are taking the same aircraft back and have hand luggage only you should be OK. Switzerland and Norway are both in Schengen so no passport control to worry about. The international to international transfer at OSL is quick; there is dedicated security when you get off (follow signage), and then you are straight down into international departures and most likely at your gate before they have started boarding it again. There are almost never any people in Int-Int transfer at OSL, so security is mostly sitting around on their phones waiting for passengers.

But if something goes wrong you are ultimately on your own, of course.

kletmart

Thank you so far !
Do you know if Swiss is using midfield parking positions often?

view

I do not take the Swiss flights much anymore, but I see them at gate position usually. However there is no guarantee at OSL these days because of the construction.

fassy

That's what I mean with "some hickup". If they get parked on an outstation and the pax are bussed in and out you will most probably miss your flight back - even though it is on the same machine.

UltraRant

Are you traveling with hand luggage only? And are you checking in on line and have a mobile boarding pass or printed boarding pass for the next leg? Only then would you be able to make it back to the plane...

Swiss usually gets a physical gate for boarding, even with smaller aircraft (heck, even the Swearingen from North Flying gets that). In that case you should go to the international transfers after landing (near gate 42). If you have a bus ride, you should be dropped at the tax free shop on the ground floor. Just follow the signs for international transfers (should be against the flow and upstairs). If you go via customs and via security again, you probably won't make it... Fast track is extremely congested in OSL nowadays (thanks to all the extra SK gold members?), so regular security may take 10 minutes. Anyway, with a bus connection you may have to run quite a bit to still make it...