<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

A few weeks ago, I asked about eating at Zurich's airport because I had a six hour layover there.  (Last week, on the way home from Kenya with Bob and Ruth's Gluten-free Travel and Dining Club...great trip.)

I emailed two or three restaurants at the airport ahead of time, that I found online and from emails from listmates, only to realize it was the same email address. I actually heard back from someone from their airport food services, who pretty much wasn't encouraging.

She looked up where I'd be waiting.   Terminal E.  (Same terminal we had a brief stop in, on the way over.) She even sent me a map of the airport...which was not accessible to me without a security issue (according to the woman who replied), and a menu of the one deli that is in E that was all bread and useless. Not even plain salads or plain yogurt.  Turns out E is a transfer terminal from out of the country, and there is nothing but a deli we cannot eat in, and later, we found a bakery...also not gf.  Very few shops in Terminal E. 

I bought an apple (which I washed off with bottled water), tomato juice, coffee and a bag of potato chips labeled gluten-free.  A teenage boy in our group bought an energy drink and some other not substantial food.  Mostly, we relied upon the food we had with us....In my case, it was pre-packaged quinoa and a pack of tuna.  I added the tomato juice to it and some of my packaged nuts...and got through it fine.

I'm still glad I emailed food services.  At least, they're aware that they should make more available at terminal E, which is totally separate from the airport's other terminals.  

When you're waiting in E, it's as if you're not in Switzerland at all.  More like, in isolation.  A holding tank. Six hours is a long time to be there, but it's nothing to complain about.  Part of flying.

My concern was primarily because it fell at the end of a two week trip, and I wasn't sure what food I'd have left, but I was fine.  I also was able to stock up on small bags of nuts at the last hotel we were at (in Kenya)...since I was nearly out of protein bars...and still had to fly to the U.S. and get home from JFK.

So if you're flying through Zurich and wonder about food...bring your own.

BUT the good news....

Swiss Air from JFK to Zurich and Zurich to Nairobi (and back), actually did a pretty good job of providing gf meals and snacks (which we pre-ordered, of course).  One of our travelers seemed to be omitted on one leg, each way, but I don't know what they did when they made arrangements, and we confirmed before leaving the U.S.  

The one glitch was one of the flights (Nairobi to Zurich, I believe), where the flight attendant removed the gf rolls from packaging and put them either in with regular croissants or next to them, and then served them with the same tongs.  When things weren't hectic, I smiled and explained to her why I refused the rolls.  Otherwise, we got decent (packaged) rolls and cake, and the meals were quite edible, for airline food. I'd fly Swiss Air again....and bring extra food for Zurich layovers!  (I always travel with food, but this trip, I ended up sharing more than I usually do.)

Lin

(I'll write about the trip itself separately, when I come up for air.)

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