In short: Flying to Switzerland from elsewhere in Europe, a delay of 3 hours or more is worth €250–€400 per passenger on typical routes (EU261, any airline); from the UK £220 under UK261. On the way home, EU261 covers every flight leaving Switzerland.
Your rights each way
| Direction | Rules | Covered airlines | 3h+ delay / late cancellation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Another EU/EEA country or Switzerland → Switzerland | EU261 | any airline | €250–€400 |
| Switzerland → another EU/EEA country or Switzerland | EU261 | any airline | €250–€400 |
| UK → Switzerland | UK261 | any airline | £220 |
| Switzerland → UK | EU261 | any airline | €250 |
| Outside Europe → Switzerland | EU261 | only an EU airline | by distance, up to €600 |
Amounts are per passenger and depend on the great-circle distance between your airports – the ranges cover the busiest routes. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must provide meals and drinks, and a hotel if you are stuck overnight – where EU261 or UK261 applies. Living in Switzerland or flying from there? See how to claim in Switzerland.
Check your flight to or from Switzerland
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Airports in Switzerland
| Airport | Passengers 2024* | ATFM delay per arrival 2025 | Main cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zurich (ZRH) | 22,826,861 | 2.44 min | weather (48%) |
| Geneva (GVA) | 14,344,888 | 1.03 min | weather (32%) |
* Passengers on routes reported to Eurostat (both directions).
Routes from the UK to Switzerland
From the UK: in the CAA’s 2025 data the busiest Swiss destinations from UK airports were Geneva and Zurich, followed by Basel-Mulhouse (the EuroAirport, on French soil), Sion and Bern. Flights from the UK to Switzerland are covered by UK261; flights from Switzerland to the UK by the Swiss version of EU261, whatever the airline.
Punctuality of the busiest routes in 2025, from UK Civil Aviation Authority data (departures from UK airports).
| Route | Flights | On time | 3h+ late | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Heathrow – Geneva | 8,788 | 76.0% | 0.08% | 1.35% |
| London Heathrow – Zurich | 8,606 | 73.5% | 0.08% | 1.10% |
| London Gatwick – Geneva | 4,838 | 65.7% | 0.76% | 1.41% |
| London City – Zurich | 3,967 | 67.9% | 0.08% | 1.37% |
| London Heathrow – Basel | 2,473 | 83.1% | 0.08% | 1.87% |
| Manchester – Geneva | 2,176 | 62.0% | 1.04% | 1.45% |
| London Luton – Geneva | 2,155 | 68.2% | 0.70% | 0.00% |
| London Gatwick – Zurich | 1,995 | 68.9% | 0.05% | 1.04% |
| Manchester – Zurich | 1,985 | 57.0% | 0.15% | 1.44% |
| Edinburgh – Geneva | 1,532 | 69.9% | 0.39% | 1.03% |
| Bristol – Geneva | 1,521 | 74.7% | 0.99% | 0.00% |
| London Gatwick – Basel | 1,293 | 74.1% | 0.31% | 1.07% |
Busiest European routes
- Zurich – Berlin861,501 pax
- Geneva – Porto820,413 pax
- Amsterdam Schiphol – Zurich816,734 pax
- Madrid Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas – Zurich760,806 pax
- Vienna – Zurich750,117 pax
- Barcelona El Prat – Zurich729,601 pax
- Palma de Mallorca – Zurich725,871 pax
- Lisbon – Geneva724,294 pax
- Lisbon – Zurich652,212 pax
- Amsterdam Schiphol – Geneva641,328 pax
- Frankfurt – Zurich610,719 pax
- Zurich – Hamburg585,980 pax
- Paris Charles de Gaulle – Zurich559,861 pax
- Paris Charles de Gaulle – Geneva558,129 pax
- Madrid Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas – Geneva554,224 pax
- Barcelona El Prat – Geneva539,963 pax
- Athens – Zurich529,937 pax
- Brussels Zaventem – Geneva526,592 pax
- Zurich – Pristina485,847 pax
- Zurich – Geneva472,510 pax
Why flights to Switzerland are delayed
In 2025, air traffic flow restrictions held back arrivals at Switzerland’s airports by 1.89 minutes per flight on average (EUROCONTROL, 2 airports). The worst month was Jun.
Causes of air traffic flow delay (2025)
Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
Weather and air traffic control restrictions are usually extraordinary circumstances – but the airline must show they caused your delay. Check what happened on your travel day.
Strikes
No strikes affecting flights in Switzerland are announced in our calendar at the moment.
Where to complain
- The airline first – in writing, with your booking reference. Use our complaint letter generator.
- National enforcement body: Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA/BAZL) – Passenger rights – FOCA can sanction airlines but is not competent to deal with passengers’ financial claims; for money, passengers must go to the civil courts. Switzerland currently has no air-passenger mediation body..
- From the UK: if you flew from a UK airport or with a UK airline, you can also use UK ADR, the CAA or the small claims court.
Tips for flying to Switzerland
- If the airline will not pay, FOCA cannot order it to – it can only sanction breaches. For compensation, the route is the civil courts or a claims agency.
- Every departure from Zurich or Geneva is covered by the Swiss version of EU261, whatever the airline and wherever you are flying – including to the UK. From the UK: flights to Switzerland are covered by UK261.
- In EUROCONTROL’s 2025 data Zurich had a higher average arrival flow-control delay than Geneva, with weather the biggest single cause and May the worst month.
Frequently asked questions
Am I covered on a flight to Switzerland?
From anywhere in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, yes: EU261 covers every departing flight, whatever the airline – €250–€400 per passenger on typical routes if you arrive 3 hours or more late. From the UK, UK261 covers every departing flight (£220). From outside Europe you are covered only on an EU airline.
Am I covered on the flight home from Switzerland?
Switzerland applies EU261 to every departing flight, so you are covered with any airline (€250–€400 on typical routes).
Who enforces passenger rights in Switzerland?
Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA/BAZL) – Passenger rights – FOCA can sanction airlines but is not competent to deal with passengers’ financial claims; for money, passengers must go to the civil courts. Switzerland currently has no air-passenger mediation body.. Complain to the airline first; if it rejects you or does not answer, you can turn to this body. All national enforcement bodies.
Are strikes covered?
It depends whose staff are on strike. Air traffic control or airport strikes are usually extraordinary circumstances; strikes by the airline’s own staff are not (CJEU C-28/20). See strikes and compensation.
Data: Eurostat 2024, EUROCONTROL, UK Civil Aviation Authority 2025. Information only, not legal advice.
Sources
- National enforcement bodies under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (updated 13 October 2026) – European Commission
- Air passenger rights – Federal Office of Civil Aviation FOCA
- Vos droits en cas de vol retardé – Office fédéral de l’aviation civile OFAC
- Agreement between the EC and the Swiss Confederation on Air Transport (consolidated) – EUR-Lex
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it applies in the UK (UK261) – Article 3, scope – legislation.gov.uk
- UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 (flights by destination from UK airports) – UK Civil Aviation Authority
- Airport arrival ATFM (flow-control) delay data, 2024–2025 – EUROCONTROL Aviation Intelligence Unit
- Air passenger transport by reporting airport (avia_par), 2024 – Eurostat
- Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
- EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
- UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 – UK Civil Aviation Authority
We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.