The flight to the summer holidays is for many Swiss people associated with travel stress. We asked Swissport about the strangest mistakes travelers have made at Zurich Airport – and give tips so that the same thing doesn’t happen to you.
What stresses you out the most when you’re at the airport?
Mombasa or Mumbai? A booking error with consequences
“A son-in-law had organized the holidays for his parents-in-law,” says Oonagh Williams, Business Line Leader Passenger Departure & Premium Services Swissport Zurich, starting the first story. It is one of the many anecdotes that she collected from her employees after asking for 20 minutes. “When booking, he made a serious mistake: instead of reserving flights to Mombasa in Kenya, he booked tickets to Mumbai in India.”
According to Williams, the couple only realized the mistake during the flight. On the on-board screen, the two noticed that they were not heading towards Africa, but rather towards India. Since they did not have a visa for India, they were not allowed to enter the country and had to fly back to Switzerland. There was, however, a small consolation: “The two of them were rebooked into business class for the return flight,” she says.
This won’t happen to you: There are numerous locations around the world with similar or even identical names or airport IATA codes. That’s why it’s worth checking not only the destination, but also the airport code, flight route and entry requirements before traveling.
The classic at the airport: “Your flight was yesterday”
“It sounds unbelievable, but it happens regularly,” says Oonagh Williams. Time and again, travelers arrive at the airport full of anticipation and only find out at check-in that their flight left the day before or only departs a week later. The reasons vary: sometimes the date is entered incorrectly in the calendar, sometimes the departure time is mixed up or a flight plan change is overlooked.
This won’t happen to you: If you keep your contact details up to date and check your flight status regularly, you can avoid unpleasant surprises. Flight schedule changes are sometimes passed on with a delay, especially when booking via travel portals or third-party providers. You can use the booking number to check current information directly with the airline at any time.
Passenger removed all wheels from his suitcase – in vain
“A passenger’s suitcase didn’t fit into the hand luggage grid – and therefore didn’t actually fit into the cabin either,” she continues. But instead of checking in his luggage, the man grabbed a screwdriver and quickly removed the wheels from his suitcase.
With success: the piece of luggage then fit into the grid with millimeter precision. However, the joy only lasted for a short time. When we weighed it, it turned out that the hand luggage also exceeded the permitted weight limit. In the end the suitcase still had to be checked in. “In addition to the additional effort, there was also a fee for checked baggage,” says Williams.
This won’t happen to you: When it comes to hand luggage, it’s not just the weight of the suitcase that counts, but also the wheels and handles. In addition, the requirements differ depending on the airline. If you need additional luggage, you can usually book it cheaper online in advance instead of paying at the gate.
It’s better to sweat in the onion look instead of paying an extra price
“When a traveler found out at check-in that her suitcase exceeded the permitted weight of 23 kilograms, she wanted to avoid the additional fee at all costs,” says Oonagh Williams, another story. Without further ado, the woman opened her suitcase and put on several items of clothing on top of each other. The plan worked: the luggage remained under the weight limit. “The passenger looked more like she was on her way to the Arctic than to the Mediterranean.” Your journey could still begin.
This won’t happen to you: The baggage allowance varies depending on the airline and the fare booked. If you weigh your suitcase at home, you save yourself spontaneous repacking at check-in. If additional luggage is necessary, booking in advance is usually cheaper than paying extra at the airport.
The nickname Silvia is of no use if the passport says Silvana
This story also has something special: “During check-in, a small detail was noticed,” says Oonagh Williams. A passenger’s flight ticket was made out to “Silvia Kaufmann”, but her passport said “Silvana Kaufmann”. This didn’t seem to be a problem for the traveler, as no one had called her Silvana for years. However, when traveling internationally, only the name in the travel document counts.
Before departing for Australia, various clarifications had to be made with the airline and the travel agency. In the end, the booking could be adjusted, but the name change was subject to a fee. “The trip was able to take place – but it was significantly more expensive and nerve-wracking than planned.”
This won’t happen to you: The information on the flight ticket must exactly match your passport or identity card. Even small typographical errors can cause problems and, depending on the airline, require expensive changes or even a new ticket. That’s why it’s worth checking carefully when booking.
No boarding pass for dog Flöckli
Finally, an animal story. The Meier family was about to embark on the trip of a lifetime. “Three weeks in Canada with a rental car – including the Swiss Shepherd Flöckli,” explains Williams. However, there was a surprise at check-in: the dog was not allowed to travel with us. Although the family had organized pet passports and vaccinations, other entry requirements were not met. In addition, the dog’s transport had not been reported to the airline in time. The family flew to Canada as planned. “However, Flöckli had to spend the holidays with relatives.”
This won’t happen to you: Anyone traveling with animals should check the entry requirements of the destination country and the airline’s requirements early on. Depending on the destination, additional documents are required, and animals usually have to be registered with the airline in advance. Dogs usually do not travel in the cabin, but in the hold and require a suitable transport box.
We want to know: What happened to you at the airport?
Laura Zygmunt (lmz) has been working for 20 minutes since 2022. She is an editor in the lifestyle department and writes about the world of travel.
