Record number of aircraft in the Swiss skies

The Swiss air traffic control company Skyguide handled a record number of aircraft movements in 2007.

The Geneva-based company, which is responsible for air navigation services in Swiss airspace, reported on Wednesday that for the first time ever it had handled over two million movements.

Flight movements is the term used to cover take-offs and landings in Switzerland as well as transit flights.

Despite the increase in air traffic volume, Skyguide said that 91 per cent of all flights were punctual in 2007, better than the European average.

At and around airports, however, an increase in delays was seen for the first time since 2000.

The two busiest airports in the country – by an overwhelming margin – continued to be in Zurich and Geneva.

Skyguide said that both had experienced traffic increases in 2007. The increase in Geneva was particularly marked at over nine per cent. The more moderate increase of 2.4 per cent in Zurich was the first rise in six years.

Skyguide is almost wholly owned by the Swiss government. On Wednesday, the government announced the strategic aims for the company until 2011.

These include active participation in the creation of the Single European Sky, whereby airspace will no longer be regarded as ending at the borders of any particular country.