Geneva Airport (GVA) will conduct its biennial full-scale disaster exercise after the noise curfew this evening, 18 November 2025. The scenario simulates two aircraft colliding on the apron, activating more than 600 firefighters, medics, police and airport volunteers. The wreckage mock-up will be visible from surrounding roads, and up to 80 emergency vehicles will move between the airport and local hospitals.
Operational impact: Although no passenger flights are scheduled during the drill, authorities warn that motorists using the Route de l’Aéroport and Route de Meyrin may face temporary lane closures between 22:00 and 02:00. Pedestrians and spotters are asked to stay away to avoid hindering first responders. Public-transport links—including the Léman Express and TPG buses—will run, but stops next to the airport fire station will be bypassed.
![Emergency-Response Drill at Geneva Airport Tonight Could Trigger Sirens and Road Congestion]()
Why it matters for mobility programmes: Companies with late-arriving international assignees or cargo pick-ups should brief drivers on access restrictions and allow extra transit time. The exercise also tests the airport’s revised multilingual crisis-communication plan, an area where airlines and ground-handlers struggled during last year’s IT outage. The results will feed into updated emergency-response protocols that determine how quickly the airport can re-open after a real incident—critical for firms with tight turnaround projects.
Background: Swiss federal law requires Category 7 airports to stage a live crash drill every two years. Lessons from the 2023 exercise led to new joint radio channels between cantonal police and French first responders, reflecting Geneva’s cross-border catchment.
Practical tips: If employees hear sirens or see smoke near the airport tonight, they should assume it is part of the exercise unless official alerts indicate otherwise. HR teams may circulate the airport’s advisory to pre-empt rumours among relocating staff and their families.
Operational impact: Although no passenger flights are scheduled during the drill, authorities warn that motorists using the Route de l’Aéroport and Route de Meyrin may face temporary lane closures between 22:00 and 02:00. Pedestrians and spotters are asked to stay away to avoid hindering first responders. Public-transport links—including the Léman Express and TPG buses—will run, but stops next to the airport fire station will be bypassed.
Why it matters for mobility programmes: Companies with late-arriving international assignees or cargo pick-ups should brief drivers on access restrictions and allow extra transit time. The exercise also tests the airport’s revised multilingual crisis-communication plan, an area where airlines and ground-handlers struggled during last year’s IT outage. The results will feed into updated emergency-response protocols that determine how quickly the airport can re-open after a real incident—critical for firms with tight turnaround projects.
Background: Swiss federal law requires Category 7 airports to stage a live crash drill every two years. Lessons from the 2023 exercise led to new joint radio channels between cantonal police and French first responders, reflecting Geneva’s cross-border catchment.
Practical tips: If employees hear sirens or see smoke near the airport tonight, they should assume it is part of the exercise unless official alerts indicate otherwise. HR teams may circulate the airport’s advisory to pre-empt rumours among relocating staff and their families.
