To safeguard some 1,500 diplomats and journalists expected at the OSCE Ministerial Council on 3-4 December 2026, the Federal Council has authorised a support deployment of up to 2,000 Swiss troops and a five-day restricted airspace zone over Lugano. The decision, taken on 18 September, follows a request from the Canton of Ticino for federal assistance. The temporary “no-fly” area – in force from 30 November 07:00 to 4 December 23:59 – will cover a 46-kilometre radius around Lugano and apply to visual-flight-rule (VFR) traffic, non-commercial instrument flights and all drones. Commercial scheduled services to and from Lugano Airport are already limited; most delegations will route via Milan-Malpensa, where the Swiss and Italian air forces will run joint air-policing patrols. Business-aviation operators, drone service providers and corporate travel planners must file alternative flight plans early. The Swiss Civil Aviation Office is expected to publish detailed NOTAMs and slot-coordination procedures in mid-October. Road-transport restrictions around the congress centre will also affect staff shuttles and ground-handling services. Although the event falls outside the 24-hour news horizon, companies with expatriate staff in southern Switzerland and northern Italy should note the heightened security posture. Hotel allocations in Lugano have already tightened, so mobility managers should secure accommodation well in advance if executives plan site visits during the impacted window. The deployment underscores a broader trend: Switzerland increasingly leverages military assets to protect high-profile international gatherings, a practice likely to continue as Geneva, Davos and now Lugano compete for diplomatic summits.
Source: Federal Council press release
