SWISS airline refunds half a billion francs to passengers
Swiss International Air Lines says it is speeding up the process of flight refunds and has reimbursed over a million passengers so far this year.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ac
On Wednesday, the company announced that it had processed more than 1.1 million refund applications worldwide and made reimbursements to the tune of more than CHF585 million ($634 million) this year.
The Covid-19 pandemic crisis put a brutal brake on air traffic and international tourism leading to mass cancellations by travellers, having a negative effect on the carrier’s revenue and profits.
SWISS had come in for criticism from travel agencies for failing to promptly refund tickets for flights that were cancelled or could not be taken by passengers due to the pandemic. The airline earlier told swissinfo.ch that it was refunding individual customers as well as agencies, but that these payments were taking longer than usual due to the high demand.
By the end of September, the carrier claims it will have processed most of the applications filed by tour operators and individuals up until the end of July. The processing time for claims will return to pre-pandemic levels from October onwards. However, SWISS does not expect to be rid of the refund backlog any time soon.
“SWISS will continue to process more recent ticket refund requests on a rolling basis. These are constantly being received as flights have to be cancelled owing to new travel warnings or customers simply find themselves unable to travel,” said the company.
In May, the Swiss parliament approved a credit of CHF1.875 billion ($1.92 billion) to support SWISS and other aviation companies that ensure vital transport infrastructure for the Swiss economy.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Airfare refunds remain a sticking point
This content was published on
The head of a major Swiss travel agency has complained that Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is not helping to reimburse clients fast enough.
Passengers to get compensation for train delays, cancellations
This content was published on
The government on Wednesday adopted legal provisions that allow travellers to seek at least partial refunds for disrupted train and bus journeys.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.