All landings at Geneva Airport have been suspended due to a fire in a nearby building
On Friday afternoon, thick black smoke from a burning building near Geneva Airport in Switzerland temporarily stopped all arrivals. The departure from the country’s second-busiest airport was left to the discretion of the pilots. A reception facility for asylum seekers under construction caught fire.
“Due to a fire at the end of the runway, landing and take-off has been postponed from 5:35 pm” Tweet Airport official account. “Initially, it is envisaged that the runway will be reopened for takeoff at 6 pm” Local time.
According to airport spokesperson Ignatius Generat, “A new reception center for asylum seekers – which was under construction … is on fire. It is outside the perimeter of the airport.”
“It’s creating a lot of smoke.” Generat added.
Whether their flight will leave the airport depends on the pilots, he explained, for the time being all arrivals have been postponed.
Hours earlier, an explosion and fire at a new reception center for asylum seekers near Geneva International Airport (GVA) disrupted flights. Flights are either being held back or diverted to another airport.
Alexandra La Guardia# Airport #Fire # Flight pic.twitter.com/keJ23UM5VE
– FL360aero (@ fl360aero) May 20, 2022
The airport, located on the Swiss border with France, has a single concrete runway about 4 km long. It is the second busiest airport in Switzerland after Zurich. According to reporters at the scene, flights from Lisbon, Barcelona and Madrid have already been diverted, while other arrivals appear to be delayed.
