Flights to and from Geneva Airport were suspended yesterday after a large fire broke out just behind the fence. Some incoming flights were diverted to Lyon and Basel. Initially, black smoke could be seen coming from a construction site intended for a future asylum center.
“Due to a fire at the end of the runway, landings and takeoffs have been suspended since 5:35 pm (15:35 GMT),” the airport said on Twitter. “The reopening of the runway, initially for take-offs, is scheduled for around 19:00 (17:00 GMT).” In the evening, airport spokesman Ignas Janerat told AFP that the fire was “under control”, but officials must “secure the area and remove the rubble”. The fire is “outside the perimeter of the airport” and “creates a lot of smoke”.
Geneva is the second busiest airport in Switzerland after Zurich. Located on the edge of Swiss territory, the track is near the border with France.
In 2021, the airport welcomed more than 5.9 million passengers, which is less than the level before the pandemic – nearly 18 million in 2019.
