SWISS is currently remodeling its Business Class and Senator Schengen lounges near the A-Gates in Zurich. As a result, these lounges will be closed until at least July. But that’s actually a GOOD thing.
In the interim, SWISS provides eligible passengers with a SWISS Coffee to Fly Voucher, which can be redeemed at six different bars/cafes/resturants in Zurich Airport for one drink and one snack.
Simply go to the (closed) lounge entrance, where you will find a pair of SWISS representatives. Present your boarding pass and you will be given two choices: visit the nearby ASPIRE Lounge (also a Priority Pass Lounge) or receive a voucher.
I’m not a fan of the ASPIRE Lounge (poor coffee and overcrowding issues), but note you can certainly take the voucher and still visit the lounge with your boarding pass later on.
I just skipped the lounge, preferring to work in the more tranquil cafe. Airport wi-fi is free.
My criteria was simple: find a café with barista-made coffee, not machine-made coffee.
I found that in Walter, a beautiful café just past security (to the right). I enjoyed an excellent cappuccino and bircher muesli…a nice pre-breakfast to the breakfast served onboard my flight to Rome.
There are even great tarmac views from Walter:
Certainly SWISS is not the first airline to offer vouchers when its lounge is closed. I’ve received similar vouchers from British Airways before. Even so, it is a nice solution in Zurich, where a coffee and sandwich will set you back $15.
Limitations
There are limits, though. I visited Panapolis (in the B-Gate area) and asked for a smoothie and a nice looking sandwich. Nope. Water, soft drink, beer, wine or coffee only. And my preferred sandwich was not available. Only the smaller ones with inferior bread…
But even so, I preferred that to the crowded ASPIRE lounge. It made for a more relaxing experience.
CONCLUSION
Ask for a SWISS Coffee to Fly Voucher next time you’re passing through ZRH. It’s a nice interim solution to no lounge.
If you’re so inclined, you can also visit the beautiful SWISS lounges in the E-Gate area, which are open. It will require going through passport control.
** There’s even great tarmac views **
There are. Not there is.
sorry for the typo Veronique………
One of the best cappuccinos I’ve ever had was in the Venice airport after a long night of travel! The barista even told me she thought my Italian was great. I’m skeptical, but I took the compliment! And the cornetta.
Great policy. Works uniquely well at ZRH — I find that airport to be so relaxing and quiet, not to mention stunningly beautiful from an architectural perspective. I will be flying business with them in about a month and will probably take advantage of this.
I wish American airports could offer a nice sit-down coffee and lite/healthy breakfast like this. All you get at Newark is a loud terminal while you eat everything out of plastic containers.
@Matthew if you’re on a Schengen-Schengen itinerary at ZRH, and don’t have a non-schengen BP, would you actually be permitted to clear passport control in order to access the E-Gates lounge?
Yes, that’s no problem at all.
You would. I’ve done it before (three times at least in the last year).
SWISS staff actually recommend that you do this if you have a fairly long period before your flight. The lady handing out vouchers told us that the Aspire Lounge is “not so nice” compared to the E-lounge.
Sorry for being pleb, but we just recently had some relatively tasty snacks at the Zurich Aspire (butter chicken + rice in Switzerland lounge? SURE I’ll try that) and there was prosecco + fresh juice for mimosas. I mean.. geesh.
It’s not a bad lounge…I’ll post a review of it soon. I just find the coffee is horrible and it is often crowded.