Six big stories from Switzerland you need to catch up on this week

SWISS airline to cut hundreds of flights and the US government issues travel “warnings” for Switzerland — these are among the news that The Local reported this week. You can catch up on everything in this weekly roundup.

These issues will be at stake in the September referendum

On September 28th, Swiss voters will decide on two issues.

One relates to the new Digital Identity Act (e-ID), which remains controversial among Switzerland’s public even after it was revamped, in terms of security, by the government.

The second issue on the ballot concerns the rental value tax for second homes — concretely, whether it should be increased to generate additional revenue for their communities.

This is especially important for the municipalities to offset the upcoming loss, under a new law, of tax income from primary residences.

READ ALSO: Switzerland announces next referendums

Swiss to cut hundreds of flights from summer schedule

Switzerland’s flagship carrier SWISS announced this week that it was slashing 1,400 flights until October 2025 because of an acute shortage of cockpit personnel and aircraft.

The reason for this drastic move, especially during the peak summer travel season, is an acute shortage of cockpit personnel and some aircraft as well.

We contact the airline to find out which flights will be cut over the months ahead. You can see if your travel plans are affected in the link below.

REVEALED: The flights SWISS airline will cut from its summer schedule

Top court sides with foreigner in his citizenship quest

The Federal Court, the country’s highest judicial authority, ruled that a foreign resident was unjustly denied Swiss citizenship because of a car accident.

Even though he had lived in Switzerland for 30 years, was employed, spoke German, and was well integrated in his local community, his application for naturalisation was rejected because of a car accident five years previously, though no one was injured.

Federal judges, however, ruled that the accident should not prevent the man from becoming Swiss.

Should US tourists be wary of coming to Switzerland?

The United States has classified Switzerland under the ‘Level 1’ travel risk for American visitors.

While this means the overall risk is low, the US government listed certain dangers nevertheless, such as lack of public safety warnings, and also the risk of petty crime, such as pickpocketing.

It lists large cities like Zurich, Geneva and Basel as Swiss hotbeds of thievery, and advises US citizens to avoid areas where pickpockets are known to ply their trade — such as Les Paquis, or central train station in Geneva.

Zurich airport sees increase in number of fare-dodging passengers

Swiss media reported several examples of people trying to board airplanes in Zurich without a valid ticket.

While it concerns only a handful of individuals, who are caught in the process, questions arise about how they manage to get all the way to the boarding gate, and then onto the plane.

They are, however, caught when the flight attendants perform the headcount and discrepancies between the number of passengers and registered boarding passes arise.

READ ALSO: How are people able to board planes at Zurich airport without tickets?

Foreigners find Swiss recycling rules confusing and frustrating

Comments collected from social media forums reflect how many foreign residents feel about the recycle culture in Switzerland.

Many complain about the regulations about separating waste into different piles.

This system results in the cluttered and disorderly apartments, and also, following all the rules is time-consuming to the point of feeling “like a full-time job.”

Six big stories from Switzerland you need to catch up on this week

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