Helicopter weddings in Switzerland

• Off-aerodrome landings are allowed in principle (Art. 3). Swiss-registered helicopters generally need no FOCA authorisation. Foreign-registered helicopters do, unless a Swiss-based operator runs them (Art. 6).
• Wedding flights, like flights to restaurants or mountain huts, count as tourist and sport passenger transport (Art. 2).
• Commercial tourist and sport passenger landings away from an aerodrome are limited to below 1,100 m above sea level (Art. 25). The exceptions above that height cover sporting events of national or international significance, traditional alpine blessings and stand-ins for a closed cable car, not private occasions (Art. 26).
• Above 1,100 m, passengers are set down at mountain landing sites: places with no infrastructure, designated for training, sport and tourist passenger flights.
• Take-offs and landings are banned in the nationally important protected areas listed in federal inventories, about 5% of the country (Art. 19).
• In a built-up area, meaning at least ten inhabited buildings and the land within 100 m of them, or a settlement area, the operator informs the cantonal authority, usually the municipality (Art. 31). FOCA's report expects at least two working days' notice for smaller operations. No approval is needed.
• Tourist passenger flights may not land during the night rest period (Art. 25). A helicopter may stay at a site for no more than 48 hours unless it departs from there (Art. 16).

Sources:FOCA: off-aerodrome landing and the Off-Aerodrome Landing Ordinance (OALO, SR 748.132.3), read 19 October 2026FOCA (BAZL): Aussenlandestellen and Gebirgslandeplätze above 1,100 m, read 19 October 2026FOCA: explanatory report on the Off-Aerodrome Landing Ordinance (AuLaV), 30 April 2014 (PDF)

• The owner's permission. The ordinance does not itself require the landowner's consent for a landing, but the owner keeps private-law remedies, so we land only where the venue has agreed in writing.
• A clear, level area away from guests, marquees, trees and power lines. The operator surveys the site and confirms the size it needs.
• Someone to keep guests back during landing and take-off.
• A backup plan, such as a car. Operators fly depending on the weather and on sunrise and sunset times, and Air Zermatt, for example, can arrange a road transfer when the weather stops a flight.

Sources:FOCA: explanatory report on the Off-Aerodrome Landing Ordinance (AuLaV), 30 April 2014 (PDF)Air Zermatt: transfer flights, weather and backup road transfers (read 19 October 2026)

Sources:FOCA (Switzerland): lists of air operator certificate holders, aeroplanes 10 June 2026 and helicopters 28 July 2026

Sources:FOCA (Switzerland): lists of air operator certificate holders, aeroplanes 10 June 2026 and helicopters 28 July 2026Air Zermatt: Heliport Zermatt and Raron (read 19 October 2026)Air-Glaciers, Sion (read 19 October 2026)Heli-Lausanne: helicopter company at Lausanne Blécherette (read 19 October 2026)Heli Bernina, Samedan: tourist flights (read 19 October 2026)Fuchs Helikopter, Schindellegi: services and fleet (read 19 October 2026)Swiss Helicopter: bases, fleet and passenger flights (read 19 October 2026)