A powerful Nor’easter that dumped more than 40 cm of snow on Boston and New York forced Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) to cancel nine transatlantic rotations on 23–24 February 2026. The cancellations affected Zurich–JFK/EWR/BOS and Geneva–JFK services over two consecutive days.
Although Zurich and Geneva airports remained fully operational, aircraft and crews were stranded in the United States, breaking the carrier’s wave-bank schedule. Around 2,700 passengers were re-accommodated on later departures or rerouted via Frankfurt, London and Montréal; premium-class demand put upward pressure on fares for the next five days.
![Blizzard cuts Switzerland’s transatlantic link – SWISS cancels nine US flights]()
For travelers suddenly rerouted through third-country hubs, VisaHQ can streamline any extra paperwork. Whether you need a quick UK transit visa for a London stop or an eTA for a Montréal connection, the platform’s Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) lets users verify requirements and file applications online—adding welcome certainty when weather scrambles itineraries.
Corporate-travel managers should check whether disrupted employees can claim EU261 compensation: because the flights originated in the US and the disruption was weather-related, payouts are unlikely, but SWISS has offered hotel and meal vouchers in line with Swiss law. Cargo shippers saw a temporary 15 % capacity squeeze on the Zurich–US lane, prompting some forwarders to switch perishables to Emirates flights via Dubai.
SWISS says normal operations resumed on 25 February but warns that winter turbulence may still trigger ad-hoc schedule changes. The episode underscores the need for agile re-booking tools in multinational mobility programmes, especially during peak ski-season travel.
Although Zurich and Geneva airports remained fully operational, aircraft and crews were stranded in the United States, breaking the carrier’s wave-bank schedule. Around 2,700 passengers were re-accommodated on later departures or rerouted via Frankfurt, London and Montréal; premium-class demand put upward pressure on fares for the next five days.
For travelers suddenly rerouted through third-country hubs, VisaHQ can streamline any extra paperwork. Whether you need a quick UK transit visa for a London stop or an eTA for a Montréal connection, the platform’s Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) lets users verify requirements and file applications online—adding welcome certainty when weather scrambles itineraries.
Corporate-travel managers should check whether disrupted employees can claim EU261 compensation: because the flights originated in the US and the disruption was weather-related, payouts are unlikely, but SWISS has offered hotel and meal vouchers in line with Swiss law. Cargo shippers saw a temporary 15 % capacity squeeze on the Zurich–US lane, prompting some forwarders to switch perishables to Emirates flights via Dubai.
SWISS says normal operations resumed on 25 February but warns that winter turbulence may still trigger ad-hoc schedule changes. The episode underscores the need for agile re-booking tools in multinational mobility programmes, especially during peak ski-season travel.
