Geneva Airport to introduce delay fees in 2025
Geneva Airport plans to launch a quota system to tackle noise pollution next year. Airlines that schedule their flights to depart after 10pm from the Swiss airport will have to pay a fee.
The trial of the system, which has been running since 2023, has led to fewer delays, said André Schneider, CEO of Geneva Airport.
For European flights, the fee ranges from CHF5,000 ($5,618) to CHF20,000, while for intercontinental flights it ranges from CHF10,000 to CHF40,000. Schneider announced this in an interview with Swiss newspaper group CH Media published on Wednesday.
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Geneva Airport has been testing the system without fees since last year. The number of delayed departures has significantly fallen since then. “After the official launch in 2025, hardly any fees will be applicable,” said Schneider. Airlines have adapted their flight schedules accordingly. Schneider also noted a reduction in aircraft noise. “Sometimes you need the threat of the stick rather than the carrot,” said the airport CEO.
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Limited aircraft noise
The quota system has been enabled by an amendment to the operating regulations. The Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications approved the new regulations in November 2022. They include setting a permissible noise limit and implementing a quota system for flights delayed after 10pm.
The new value limits the maximum permissible aircraft noise, as announced by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation in 2022. The airport is required to annually verify compliance with these noise thresholds.
One objection raised by an opposition committee was that the local population would face excessive noise pollution due to the new regulations. The committee lodged an appeal with the Federal Administrative Court at the start of 2023.
Translated from German by DeepL/sp
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