On August 28, 2024, the Federal Council opened the consultation on the comprehensive revision of the Swiss Aviation Act. The public consultation, which runs until November 28, 2024, addresses, among other things, questions of criminal jurisdiction in the event of aircraft accidents, age limits for pilots, and aspects of the airport and procurement system. The aim of the revision is to make legal adjustments that respond to previous parliamentary initiatives in the area of civil aviation.
A key component of the revision of the law concerns the protection of information on safety-relevant events. In future, audit and inspection reports as well as reports from pilots will be protected from public inspection in order to ensure the quality of safety reports. In addition, the principle of "Just Culture" will be enshrined in the law to ensure that people who report safety-relevant incidents are not disadvantaged.
Another focus is on protecting the existing airports in Zurich and Geneva in order to safeguard their operational framework. The law is also intended to expand the options for outsourcing air traffic control services and create more detailed regulations for security checks and the exchange of information between authorities and industry. The revision also provides that airport managers can order police checks if alcohol or drug abuse is suspected. In addition, airports will in future be allowed to sell confiscated property and use biometric data for passenger screening.