Swiss pulls crews from criticized Miami hotel

Swiss has stopped using a crew hotel in Miami that drew repeated complaints from its own staff. According to an internal message to crews, the airline began lodging crews at a different Miami hotel on September 3 while it seeks a long-term solution.

The problems had been known since the previous winter. Crew members reported mold, pests, dirty areas, defective elevators, and air conditioning failures. They also cited concerns about doors, emergency exits, and the lack of rest during short layovers after long-haul flights. Swiss initially kept the hotel, saying issues would be addressed with the operator. Lufthansa, whose crews also stayed there, had already left.

In the internal note, Swiss said recent weeks brought renewed reports of recurring deficiencies, specifically elevators and air conditioning in rooms. The airline said it had worked closely with the hotel operator but that a lasting and complete implementation of the required improvements did not materialize. Swiss apologized to crews and said it had been too optimistic about the hotel.