At its 28 January 2026 meeting, Switzerland’s Federal Council approved a major security package to support the G7 leaders’ summit that France will host in the lakeside town of Évian-les-Bains from 15–17 June 2026. Up to 5 000 Swiss Armed Forces personnel will be placed on “assist-duty” to reinforce cantonal police in Geneva, Vaud and Valais, and – crucially for travellers – the Council authorised a temporary restriction of the skies above western Switzerland.
From 13:00 on Wednesday 10 June until 03:00 on Thursday 18 June, a restricted zone will cover Geneva International Airport, Lausanne, and a wide swathe of Lake Geneva’s airspace. Visual-flight-rules (VFR) traffic and most non-commercial instrument flights will be prohibited, with business-aviation slots severely curtailed and drones completely banned. Commercial airlines will be able to operate but must file flight plans through a dedicated slot-coordination cell and should expect flow-management delays when heads of state arrive. The Swiss Air Force will maintain armed quick-reaction aircraft and enhanced radar surveillance in coordination with France’s Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace.
Although the summit itself sits just across the French border, Geneva Airport is expected to handle the bulk of official delegations, press flights and support cargo. Local hoteliers anticipate spill-over accommodation on the Swiss side, and the cantons have asked Bern for federal help with crowd control, lakeside maritime policing and VIP convoy escorts. The Federal Council’s decision now goes before Parliament in the spring session because the deployment exceeds the 2 000-troop threshold set in the Military Act.
![Federal Council imposes 8-day air-space restrictions for June G7 summit in neighbouring Evian]()
Corporate mobility managers with staff or assignees in French-Swiss border regions should plan for tightened road checkpoints, longer airport dwell times and possible rail-service adjustments on the Lausanne–Geneva corridor. Freight forwarders moving time-critical goods through Geneva should secure early customs slots or consider routing via Basel or Zurich during the restriction window. Private-jet operators, meanwhile, face a de-facto moratorium on non-state flights and are being urged by the Civil Aviation Office to reposition to Sion or Bern-Belp.
For travellers who may need to alter itineraries or obtain last-minute travel documents, VisaHQ’s Switzerland platform (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) offers swift online processing for tourist, business and transit visas, along with real-time updates on entry requirements. Its concierge specialists can advise on passport validity, health declarations and any special permits that could emerge around the summit, keeping corporate mobility plans on track despite the temporary restrictions.
Switzerland has a long track record of securing high-profile events—most recently the World Economic Forum in Davos—and the measures mirror those applied during previous G8/G20 meetings in Evian (2003) and Biarritz (2019). Nevertheless, the length and breadth of the 2026 air-space closure are unusually extensive, reflecting heightened global security concerns and the summit’s expanded guest list. Businesses should monitor NOTAMs from 1 May onward, when exact coordinates and altitude limits will be published.
From 13:00 on Wednesday 10 June until 03:00 on Thursday 18 June, a restricted zone will cover Geneva International Airport, Lausanne, and a wide swathe of Lake Geneva’s airspace. Visual-flight-rules (VFR) traffic and most non-commercial instrument flights will be prohibited, with business-aviation slots severely curtailed and drones completely banned. Commercial airlines will be able to operate but must file flight plans through a dedicated slot-coordination cell and should expect flow-management delays when heads of state arrive. The Swiss Air Force will maintain armed quick-reaction aircraft and enhanced radar surveillance in coordination with France’s Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace.
Although the summit itself sits just across the French border, Geneva Airport is expected to handle the bulk of official delegations, press flights and support cargo. Local hoteliers anticipate spill-over accommodation on the Swiss side, and the cantons have asked Bern for federal help with crowd control, lakeside maritime policing and VIP convoy escorts. The Federal Council’s decision now goes before Parliament in the spring session because the deployment exceeds the 2 000-troop threshold set in the Military Act.
Corporate mobility managers with staff or assignees in French-Swiss border regions should plan for tightened road checkpoints, longer airport dwell times and possible rail-service adjustments on the Lausanne–Geneva corridor. Freight forwarders moving time-critical goods through Geneva should secure early customs slots or consider routing via Basel or Zurich during the restriction window. Private-jet operators, meanwhile, face a de-facto moratorium on non-state flights and are being urged by the Civil Aviation Office to reposition to Sion or Bern-Belp.
For travellers who may need to alter itineraries or obtain last-minute travel documents, VisaHQ’s Switzerland platform (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) offers swift online processing for tourist, business and transit visas, along with real-time updates on entry requirements. Its concierge specialists can advise on passport validity, health declarations and any special permits that could emerge around the summit, keeping corporate mobility plans on track despite the temporary restrictions.
Switzerland has a long track record of securing high-profile events—most recently the World Economic Forum in Davos—and the measures mirror those applied during previous G8/G20 meetings in Evian (2003) and Biarritz (2019). Nevertheless, the length and breadth of the 2026 air-space closure are unusually extensive, reflecting heightened global security concerns and the summit’s expanded guest list. Businesses should monitor NOTAMs from 1 May onward, when exact coordinates and altitude limits will be published.
