quick layover in zurich

Deanpf · Feb 8, 2016

Has anyone ever flown through Zurich? I have found a good price on flights from Montreal to Madrid and then return from Porto to Montreal but the zurich layover is only 45 minutes so just wondering if that will be enough time to get my flight to madrid. I like the combo of coming into Madrid because I am starting my walk in Burgos and Porto seems like a great place to fly back home from as it seems so close to Santiago. Anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks!

peregrina2000 · Feb 8, 2016

Hi, Deanpf,
If you book this all on one ticket, the airline must think there is enough time. But if you miss the connection, so long as it is booked on one ticket, it's going to be the airline's job to rebook you. A quick look at flights suggests there are a lot of flights from Zurich to Madrid. In my experience, if you miss your connection, and if you're sweet to the ticket agent, he or she is likely to find you a good connection even if it means putting you on another airline.

BShea · Feb 8, 2016

Zürich is my favorite airport to fly into. It feels like your landing in someone's field. The airport is quite small so it'd be easy to make your connection, but like @peregrina2000 said, if you don't book the entire itinerary at the same time and your flight is delayed, you could have problems. An agent once told me less than a 90 minute layover on an international flight was considered an "illegal connection" and she couldn't book it.
If you are booking this on your own with two separate airlines, another option would be to buy travel insurance on the cheaper flight if they offer it. It should cover you if you miss your connection. (Read the small print)

Deanpf · Feb 8, 2016

Thanks both. I would be booking it all at the same time through skyscanner (the deal is through expedia i believe). the first flight is air canada and the second swissair.

whariwharangi · Feb 8, 2016

Deanpf said:
Thanks both. I would be booking it all at the same time through skyscanner (the deal is through expedia i believe). the first flight is air canada and the second swissair.

I would not normally consider a transfer with less than 2 hours from flight arrival to flight departure.

Your flight from Montreal will likely arrive late.

Your luggage doesn't stand a snowballs chance in hell of making a '45' minute connection even if the plane arrives early.

spursfan · Feb 8, 2016

Carry-on will improve your chances; and you might look at how far between terminals/gates (Zurich might be a small-ish airport but it has shop-filled terminals) and check-in times and passport/immigration procedures

But you'll be using two different airlines so missing the connection would be your problem

HeidiL · Feb 8, 2016

Zürich is small and very practically laid out. Can you buy both tickets from one airline at the same time, even if the second flight is a code-share? Then getting you onto the second flight is their problem...

peregrina2000 · Feb 8, 2016

Air Canada and Swiss are code share partners, so this will be issued as one seamless ticket. It may well be that you don't have enough time to transfer and that you do in fact miss your connection, but that is absolutely not going to be your problem. If you can buy this as one ticket, that means it is a legal connection. And since there are so many flights between Zurich and Madrid, I would just go with it and hope for the best, knowing that if you miss your connection, the airlines will get you on the next available flight out.

And I would never check my backpack irrespective of how much change time I had.

Deanpf · Feb 9, 2016

peregrina2000 said:
Air Canada and Swiss are code share partners, so this will be issued as one seamless ticket. It may well be that you don't have enough time to transfer and that you do in fact miss your connection, but that is absolutely not going to be your problem. If you can buy this as one ticket, that means it is a legal connection. And since there are so many flights between Zurich and Madrid, I would just go with it and hope for the best, knowing that if you miss your connection, the airlines will get you on the next available flight out.

And I would never check my backpack irrespective of how much change time I had.

Thanks for this. It<s helpful advice.
How do you not check your backpack if you have liquids or are bringing a pocket knife or something similar in your pack? Is that not limiting?

peregrina2000 · Feb 9, 2016

Deanpf said:
Thanks for this. It<s helpful advice.
How do you not check your backpack if you have liquids or are bringing a pocket knife or something similar in your pack? Is that not limiting?

Well, Deapf, there are lots of threads on this topic, you should use the search function and see the wide range of advice. But I would say that most people would agree on the following -- bring liquids in small sizes, you don't want to lug huge bottle of shampoo, etc, anyway, and can easily refill or replace once walking. And the pocket knife can be bought in any city in Spain for 20-25 euros. For me that's a small price to pay for having the pack with me. 90% of the time there's no problem with checked luggage, and usually even if it's delayed it ultimately reaches you, but for people starting out on the Camino it would be a major headache. I always check it on the way home, when I don't really care when the pack arrives. Buen camino, Laurie

Castilian · Feb 11, 2016

As it has already been said, if you have a single booking for all the route, if you miss your second flight due to a late arrival of your first one, the airline(s) will have to look for an alternative for you at no cost. Flights from Zürich to Madrid are frequent enough as to be likely to find a non-stop flight alternative on the same day.

If you can book it in a single booking that's because the transit time in Zürich is within the legal limits because otherwise it couldn't be sold to you. If I'm not wrong the minimum legal transit time between flights in Zürich airport is 40 minutes (In Vienna is even shorter, just 25 minutes!!!).

For estimated travel times between gates at Zúrich airport take a look at: www.swiss.com/ch/EN/fly/airport/zurich-airport#t-page=pane2

Both Air Canada and Swiss are part of Star Alliance and have agreements between them.

whariwharangi · Feb 11, 2016

Castilian said:
As it has already been said, if you have a single booking for all the route, if you miss your second flight due to a late arrival of your first one, the airline(s) will have to look for an alternative for you at no cost. Flights from Zürich to Madrid are frequent enough as to be likely to find a non-stop flight alternative on the same day.

If you can book it in a single booking that's because the transit time in Zürich is within the legal limits because otherwise it couldn't be sold to you. If I'm not wrong the minimum legal transit time between flights in Zürich airport is 40 minutes (In Vienna is even shorter, just 25 minutes!!!).

For estimated travel times between gates at Zúrich airport take a look at: www.swiss.com/ch/EN/fly/airport/zurich-airport#t-page=pane2

Both Air Canada and Swiss are part of Star Alliance and have agreements between them.

To which I would add that missing a flight even if insured as per above ... there are consequences for things like booked accommodations or transport on buses and trains. You want the connection to work reliably. Its almost as much a nuisance as if they diverted your bag to Moscow.