Swiss Helicopter reported too few flights at Gsteigwiler heliport

Swiss Helicopter’s heliport in Gsteigwiler, near Interlaken in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland, is allowed up to 3,000 flight movements a year.

Each helicopter takeoff and landing counts as one movement.

Residents who complained about noise checked flight data and estimated there were about 8,100 movements in 2025.

The company says the figures it reported were lower than the actual number, but it disputes the residents’ estimate and says it has no records of its own.

Switzerland’s Federal Office of Civil Aviation says it checks reported figures but does not collect its own data.

It has opened an administrative criminal investigation into the heliport manager, who is employed by the company.

Since April, helicopters have also been taking off and landing in fields outside the official heliport to stay within its limit; aviation authorities say this is legal, while residents say the noise remains.

Officials are discussing whether to raise the heliport’s flight limit.