We checked our bags (we'll just concentrate on getting the roll-aboard with the broken handle home before discarding it) and we had quite a wait at the baggage carousel, along with about five other flights. We don't know if they're trying to save energy on running the carousels or what.
We caught the free shuttle to the Hilton without any problem. They've upgraded us to a junior suite and there was a lovely fruit and chocolate plate awaiting us in our room.
It's a rainy and dreary day around the airport. Looking out our window reinforced our plan just to stick around.
We spent some time in the lounge eating enough tasty appetizers (including soup) to call it dinner. Now it's time to go to bed, as we face about 19 hours of flying starting tomorrow morning: ZRH-IAD-ORD-SEA.
The airline merger is creating some problems - not all that surprising - and we'll consider ourselves fortunate if we don't end up in the kind of ugly situation described by a member of FlyerTalk here.