Geneva Airport flight compensation
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Quick answer
Every departure from Geneva Airport is covered by Regulation 261/2004 through the EU–Swiss Air Transport Agreement, on any airline; inbound flights from outside Switzerland are covered on Swiss or EU airlines. Geneva–London, Geneva–Paris and Geneva–Amsterdam pay €250; Geneva–Athens or Geneva–Tel Aviv €400; Geneva–New York €600. Long-delay compensation is applied in practice but ultimately depends on the Swiss courts; FOCA is the enforcement body.
Rules for flights departing Geneva Airport
Every flight departing from Geneva Airport is covered by Regulation 261/2004 as applied in Switzerland, regardless of the airline.
Flights into Geneva Airport from outside Switzerland are covered only when operated by a Swiss- or EU-licensed airline.
Location: GVA / LSGG · 46.2381, 6.1090 · Switzerland
Care and re-routing when leaving Geneva
Delayed at the gate: meals, refreshments and two calls or e-mails from 2 h of delay on flights up to 1,500 km, 3 h up to 3,500 km (and on every intra-EU flight over 1,500 km), 4 h beyond — plus a hotel and transport when the departure moves to the next day. Owed whatever the cause.
Cancelled or denied boarding: the choice between a refund of the unused ticket within 7 days and re-routing to your destination at the earliest opportunity or on a later date of your choosing, with care while you wait.
Delayed 5 h or more: you may give up the journey and take a full refund of the unused ticket, with a return flight to your departure point if the trip has lost its purpose.
Geneva sits against the French border and its approaches use French airspace, so French ATC action affects it directly. Cancellation and denied-boarding rights on departure are certain; long-delay compensation is applied in practice but ultimately depends on how a Swiss court reads the EU case law.
Enforcement body
Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA / BAZL)
FOCA handles complaints administratively; it cannot award compensation. Civil claims go to the ordinary courts.
Example routes from Geneva
- London (LHR) · 754 km€250
- Paris (CDG) · 407 km€250
- Amsterdam (AMS) · 682 km€250
- Athens (ATH) · 1,731 km€400
- Tel Aviv (TLV) · 2,919 km€400
- New York (JFK) · 6,201 km€600
- Lisbon (LIS) · 1,496 km€250
- Barcelona (BCN) · 637 km€250
Can I claim compensation for a flight from Geneva?
the Swiss rules (Reg. 261/2004) applies to every airline on this route: €250–€600 per passenger for an arrival delay of 3 hours or more, a cancellation announced under 14 days ahead, or denied boarding, unless the airline proves an extraordinary circumstance. Refund, re-routing and care are due whatever the cause.
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Flying from Geneva?
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Already known from this page
- From Geneva (GVA)
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Geneva-specific issues
Geneva is easyJet Switzerland’s base and a major SWISS station, with heavy winter ski traffic to the UK. Fog and snow in the Geneva basin, and French ATC strikes (Geneva’s approaches use French airspace), are the most common defences. easyJet Switzerland and SWISS are Swiss carriers; easyJet Europe and British Airways also operate here.
Flights from Geneva to the UK: covered by the Swiss rules (departure), with UK261 as an alternative basis only if the operating carrier is a UK or EU airline (easyJet UK, BA — but not SWISS or easyJet Switzerland).
Flights from the EU to Geneva: covered by EU261 (departure), and claims for those go to the departure country’s enforcement body.
The delay nuance
Cancellation and denied-boarding compensation apply exactly as in the EU. For delays, airlines pay on the EU three-hour model in practice, but a Swiss civil court is not formally bound by the EU Court’s Sturgeon judgment — Horvera reports Geneva delay claims as “potentially eligible” for this reason.
Escalation
- Claim from the airline in writing.
- FOCA / BAZL — complaint for enforcement (no compensation award).
- Swiss civil court (simplified procedure) — within 2 years.
Sources
- European Community / Swiss ConfederationAgreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Air Transport (signed 21 June 1999)
- Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA / BAZL)Air passenger rights — scope, how to refer a case to FOCA, questions and answers
- Court of Justice of the European UnionJoined Cases C-402/07 and C-432/07 Sturgeon v Condor and Böck v Air France — passengers of flights delayed by three hours or more may claim compensation
- European Parliament and CouncilRegulation (EC) No 261/2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights
Last legally reviewed: 12 September 2026 · Content updated: 12 September 2026
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