Swiss airports see 50% fewer passengers than pre-pandemic

Amid flight cancellations and coronavirus related travel restrictions, Swiss airports are expecting half the number of passengers over the holidays than before the pandemic. This is still more traffic than in 2020.

Flight hubs of Geneva, Zurich and Basel have all reported more activity than last year but are seeing more people cancel or postpone trips amid more concerns about the Omicron variant and more stringent entry requirements in some countries. Some airlines have also been forced to cancel flights because of fewer bookings and a shortage of personnel.

Switzerland is particularly affected by fewer travelers from the UK who come for skiing. Flights from the UK to Geneva have around 35% fewer passengers than usual. British Airways has cancelled all flights to and from Basel-Mulhouse until the end of the year.

Photo – A view of the empty airport in Zurich, Switzerland. EPA-EFE/ENNIO LEANZA

Read more via Swissinfo