katiesmum,

Swiss are a major international airline, they are fine. Those connections are rather tight though, especially the inbound. If the airline lets you book them, they must be possible but it would only take a few minutes delay and there's a chance you'll not make it, or your luggage. 90 minutes is the recommeneded minimum in most airports.

Darren

the airport's own transfer info is at http://www.zurich-airport.com/Portaldata/2/Resources//Flyer_Transferinformation_1010.pdf

Dubai flights use the E area gates and Manchester use B area - as both are non-Schengen it saves a few minutes on the return. Note the areas are connected by a little shuttle train (like the one at Stansted if you've ever been there). Swiss run 3 flights most days from Zurich to Manchester, I take it your quote was for the 06:20 arrival and 07:05 departure which is technically possible but as Darren says, a few minutes delay and you may get home before your luggage - a longer delay and you get the next available flight subject to space. I just did a random check on the Swiss website and it offered the Dubai flight with onward connection at 07:05 or 12:10 for the same price, it might be worth considering the other combination just to be certain. Outward you don't have any choice as they only have one flight which offers a connection to their one Dubai service (unless you spend the night at Zurich) but that's not so tight and there is an Emirates flight from Zurich a couple of hours behind Swiss so they could transfer you to that if it went wrong.

Brilliant, thank you both for your advice.

I was looking at Emitates and Qatar but then found these Swiss flights and they are £1000 cheaper than Emirates. You can`t book your seats just make a request for eisle or window and then when you do online booking 24 hrs before you can then confirm your seats! but hey..its the price. Also only 20kg instead of the usual 23kg.

Its a shame the flights home are so far apart 7.05 and 12.10.. but they must think its doable, we will have been up all night but I suppose we have to give it consideration - but to have to sit in the airport for 5 hours!

Steve you mention the outward flight and say there is an Emirates flight a couple of hours later...would they put you on that if there was room as its a different airline? (sorry confused)

Thanks

katiesmum,

If you were in a position were you missed your connecting flight that is the fault of the airline, eg delay, then they'll have to sort out an onwards connection for you. Given they only have one flight a day, they could transfer you to another carrier, at their cost or overnight you to the next available flight.

Darren

It is possible to while away 5 hours at Zurich - I've done it waiting for a cheaper connection on a flight to Manchester!!!

There are plenty of duty free shops and places to eat plus I found somewhere to lie down and snooze for a couple of hours!

http://www.zurich-airport.com/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-27/ may be helpful.

It is perfectly feasible to connect at Zurich with the timings you give ... and with your morning flight being essentially a 'feeder' flight to the Dubai departure, it is not unknown for Swiss to delay major flights when there's a delay in the arrival of passengers for that flight (they make up time in the air, and have priority in slot allocation for departures from Zurich in case of delay being Swiss's home base!!)

You may have to walk briskly, because there are often intermediate security checks between areas of the airport, but I see no reason why you would miss your flight. If you are really concerned about this, tell a member of the cabin crew about your connection once you are at cruising altitude, and ask them to see if they can confirm which gate your flight will be leaving from so you know where to aim for!

Have a great time!

Thanks Darren.

I`m really wondering now if these are the right flights for us. Am going to sit and see what else is available this afternoon - don`t mind connecting but think for my piece of mind need slightly longer and its got to be easy to do. I peeked at Manchester airport site earlier and it looked like the flight this morning with Swiss was nearly an hour late leaving!! (unless I have read it wrong) s

Alsacienne, thanks for replying. I`m pondering on this one for the afternoon whilst I look round at other carriers.

you read it wrong!

according to Swiss, LX391 was 20 mins late departing this morning (don't know why because inward 390 was slightly early) and it arrived Zurich 12 mins late.

you should never base a decision on what happened to one flight on one day. I was once did Manchester - Zurich with Emirates (they used to stop the Manchester-Dubai flight to pick up at Zurich so sold the part empty seats cheap!). Great on the way out but cancelled completely on the way back. No idea what happened to the people from Dubai but Emirates transferred me to the Swiss flight I'd originally avoided!!

Thank you for explaining that. I`m demented sitting here looking at flights. The whole package with Expedia for Hotel and Swiss flights for 14 nights is £3396 next flights I have found is with KLM better connection times but adds another £438 on the price. I think I need to have confidence and book...every airline site has these flights and they seem to be a daily occurance so must be ok ( as you have most probably gathered I like to worry!!! )

We did a connection last year in Philadelphia so have done off one flight and onto another before,, think we got 1hr 15 mins there and did it with ease and 1hr 10 coming back and it was no problem and that is a big airport.

In ideal world would like to get on at Manchester and get off in Dubai but Emirates prices are scary and that would be a fair whack of spending money.

Found the prices on Expedia and also Thomas Cook is very similar..any pro`s and con`s for booking with either?

thanks its much appreicated

katiesmum wrote:

I think I need to have confidence and book

Just do it if it's what you're looking for. It wouldn't come up as an option unless is was feasible. The worst that can happen is you get transferred on to a later flight. The Swiss are known for their time keeping remember! For the amount of money you're saving, it's well worth it. I'd go for the Emirates flight direct just for the pleasure of the A380 (EK17/18) personally, but you'll you get to go on 4 flights instead of 2, that's always a bonus (probably only me thinking that though!).

Darren

Yes Darren...not many of us would want 4 flights if we could do it in two.

A380 EK17/18 what`s so great about this? does it go from Manchester? I`m curious.

katiesmum wrote:

A380 EK17/18 what`s so great about this?

The A380-800 (super-jumbo) is the largest passenger aircraft in the world and is quite an impressive machine. Emirates use one daily from DXB-MAN-DXB, flight EK017/8.

Darren

having seen the Manchester immigration desk queue after a 319 or 737 I dread to think what it's like for the 380!!