Switzerland: Busy Week Ahead for BizAv

Two major events are set to impact BizAv ops in Switzerland next week. The G7 Summit takes place in Evian on Lake Geneva from June 15-17, while Art Basel runs in Basel from June 15-21. Expect increased traffic, limited parking and restrictions at airports across the region, particularly around LSGG/Geneva and LFSB/Basel.

LSGG/Geneva

If you’re planning to use LSGG/Geneva during the G7 Summit, you’ll need a Plan B.

The airport has confirmed that no PPR approvals will be granted from June 15-17, except for a very limited number of exempted flights like medical ops etc. During the summit, BizAv facilities will be reserved for diplomatic and gov traffic.

Parking is another challenge. From the evening of June 14 until the morning of June 18, aircraft won’t be allowed to remain parked on the apron. Unless specifically authorized by the authorities, expect a drop-and-go operation followed by a reposition.

The restrictions extend to cheeky helicopters as well. Geneva’s helipads will be reserved for military use from June 13-17, leaving no room for normal helicopter traffic.

For more info, Geneva Airport has published a dedicated operational notice covering the temporary G7 measures.

Local handlers have a fairly straightforward message: don’t rely on Geneva for parking during the summit. If the Lake Geneva area is your destination, now’s the time to secure parking elsewhere and work out your repositioning plan.

Security Airspace Around Evian

The summit will also trigger temp security airspace structure around Lake Geneva between June 15-18.

France has published AIP SUP 110/26 establishing three temporary security areas:

ZIT LAC: a prohibited area directly over the summit area, SFC-FL115.
ZRT SAVOIE: a large restricted area surrounding Lake Geneva, SFC-FL195.
ZRT EVIAN: an extra restricted area over Evian between FL195-245.

The good news: these restrictions are not aimed at normal airline or BizAv traffic. IFR flights to LSGG/Geneva, LFLB/Chambery, LFLP/Annecy, LFLL/Lyon, and other major airports in the region should still be able to operate under normal ATC procedures.

The biggest impact will be on local VFR flying. Training flights, gliding, parachuting, balloons, drones and all that kinda stuff will be restricted or suspended during the summit period.

Looking for Alternatives?

So where do you park if Geneva isn’t an option?

LFLB/Chambery and LFLP/Annecy are the closest alternatives. Both airports will require PPR and mandatory handling during the summit period. Also keep in mind that both airports sit in Alpine terrain and can be more operationally challenging than Geneva or Lyon.

Further south, LFLL/Lyon Saint Exupery and LFLY/Lyon Bron currently look like two of the most practical alternatives. No major G7-related restrictions have been announced so far, but parking demand is expected to increase.

Don’t overlook LFLS/Grenoble either. Several local handlers pointed us towards it as a good fallback option if parking starts to tighten elsewhere.

Wherever you decide to park, the common theme is the same: submit requests early!

LFSB/Basel

Art Basel is back from June 15-21 and the airport is warning about parking limits during the event week.

Local handlers told us they’re seeing very strong demand and are reviewing parking requests on a case-by-case basis.

If Basel is on your schedule, expect mandatory handling, one-hour max turns, and no overnight parking on the main apron. LFSB also cannot be filed as an alternate airport during the event period.

The good news is that handlers aren’t aware of any restrictions beyond those already published. The challenge is simply finding space, so the earlier you submit your request, the better your chances.

Switzerland: Busy Week Ahead for BizAv