FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSPORT (TPT250)

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC TO SWITZERLAND

(AIR TRANSPORTATION)

PREPARED FOR:

SIR MUHAMMAD SYAFIQ BIN HASSAN

PREPARED BY:

MOHAMMAD EZUDDIN HAKIM BIN MD AIIZAIUDDIN

(2020699028)

SUBMISSION DATE: WEEK 10

TABLE OF CONTENT

NO. CONTENT PAGE

1 1.0 Executive Summary 3-4

2 2.0 Impact to Air Transport of Switzerland 5

2.1 Before Covid-19 Pandemic 5-6
2.2 After Covid-19 Pandemic 6-7

3 3.0 Conclusion 8

4 4.0 References 9
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The landlocked nation of Switzerland, or the Swiss Confederation, is situated where

Western, Central, and Southern Europe converge. [note 4] [15] The nation is a federal republic
made up of 26 cantons, with Bern serving as the seat of the federal government. Italy borders
Switzerland on the south, France on the west, Germany on the north, Austria on the east, and
Liechtenstein on the south. Geographically, it is split between the Swiss Plateau, the Alps, and the
Jura, covering a total of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi) and 39,997 km2 of land (15,443 sq mi).

Although the Alps make up the majority of the country, the majority of Switzerland's 8.5
million residents live on the plateau, which is home to the country's biggest cities and economic
hubs, including Zürich, Geneva, and Basel. Numerous international organizations, including the
WTO, WHO, ILO, the FIFA headquarters, the UN's second-largest office, and the main office of
the Bank for International Settlements, have offices in these three cities. These cities also house
Switzerland's primary international airports.
 Switzerland depends on an effective global air transportation network as both an economic
hub and a popular tourism destination. Through bilateral agreements and active participation in
several international organizations, Switzerland develops aviation links with other nations. The
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a UN specialized body with its headquarters in
Montreal, has Switzerland as one of its members. In order to foster a civil aviation industry that is
safe, economically viable, and ecologically conscious, the ICAO creates standards for international
air travel.

Implementing policies at the European level is the responsibility of the European Civil
Aviation Conference (ECAC). The European Union (EU), together with the ECAC, is crucial in
determining the general framework for air transport. Switzerland is a member of the European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which was founded by the EU.

A bilateral air transport agreement between Switzerland and the EU was reached in 2002,
enabling Swiss carriers to enter the liberalized European market. Switzerland has more than 140
additional bilateral air transport agreements with other nations in addition to this one. The ability
for Swiss airlines to fly on international air routes is made possible by these agreements, which
are essential. They control how Switzerland and the pertinent signatories are assigned air traffic
rights.
 2.0 IMPACT TO AIR TRANSPORT OF SWITZERLAND

2.1 BEFORE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

British mountaineers conquering the key peaks of the Bernese Alps in the early 19th
century marked the beginning of tourism in Switzerland (Jungfrau 1811, Finsteraarhorn 1812). In
1857, the Alpine Club of London was established. Another significant area of tourism in the late
19th and early 20th centuries was recuperation in the Alpine climate, particularly from TB, like at
Davos, Graubünden. The Bernese Oberland has long been particularly well-known as a tourist
destination because of the significance of the Bernese Alps in British mountaineering.
Reichenbach Falls near Meiringen gained literary prominence as the location of Sherlock Holmes'
fictitious demise in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works (1893). During the nineteenth century,
Thomas Cook and Lunn Travel offered the first planned vacations to Switzerland. Up until the
20th century, wealthy individuals were the only ones who travelled to Switzerland.

The following chart shows the number of tourist arrivals registered in Switzerland each year.
Anyone who spends at least one night in the country but does not live there for more than 12
months is considered a tourist. Insofar as the survey included the purpose of the trip, business trips
and other non-tourism travel purposes have already been excluded. The number of people passing
through within the same day.
 In 1995, tourism revenues amounted to 11.35 billion USD, or about 3.2 percent of the gross
national product. This corresponded to about 6.95 million tourists at that time and roughly 1,635
USD per person. Within 25 years, the country's dependence on tourism has decreased substantially.
In the last year of the survey, the revenue now amounts to 9.99 billion USD, accounting for 1.3
percent of the gross national product.

2.2 AFTER COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, Flughafen Zurich, which operates Zurich Airport, has
reported a 60.5 percent decline in passenger volume in the first half of 2021. The airport, which is
based in Switzerland, served about 2.1 million passengers in the six months ending in June 2021,
down from 5.3 million during the same time last year. In the first half of the year, there were also
31.9 percent fewer flight movements, totaling 41,123. The number of freight flights, however,
increased by 18.6 percent at the airport in H1 2021. Additionally, as a result of this, the amount of
freight handled by Zurich Airport increased by 25.1% to 180,788 tonnes.

The first half of Flughafen Zurich's overall income came to $288.47 million (Sfr263.6
million), a decline of 15.1% from the same period last year. Additionally, the company's deficit
climbed from $30.09m (Sfr27.5m) to $49.35m (Sfr45.1m) in the first half of 2021. Additionally,
Flughafen Zurich said that its costs had gone down. "Despite a greater level of debt, Flughafen
Zürich will continue to weather the crisis independently, owing to a strong equity ratio, significant
reserves, and a diverse business strategy," stated Lukas Brosi, chief financial officer of Flughafen
Zurich.
 The COVID-19 problem has had a significant negative impact on Swiss tourism over the
past few years, with arrival levels far below those experienced before the epidemic. Federal
Statistical Office (FSO) news release states that the amount of income, which represents the costs
of foreign visitors to the nation, has reached € 9.9 billion (CHF 10.1 billion), which is 43.9% below
pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, expenditure—a measure of what Swiss citizens spend
when travelling abroad—rose by 13.4%. The rates are still 43% below 2019 levels, though. In
conclusion, early estimates from FSO show that the balance of tourism was negative at €603
million (CHF 605 million).

Switzerland is among the costliest nations for hotels, restaurants, and transportation services,
according to the European Office for Statistics, or Eurostat.More precisely, Switzerland's price
point for restaurants and hotels is 687.7% more than the EU average, and it is only surpassed by
Scandinavian nations like Norway (167.2), Iceland (162.9), Denmark (154.5), Sweden (137.4),
and Finland (133.1), with the EU average for these costs being 100.
3.0 CONCLUSION

In order to combat the COVID-19 epidemic in Switzerland, the government enacted a

combination of mandatory regulations (such as border crossing restrictions and the shutdown of
non-essential companies) and more persuasive tools. These latter activities fall under the umbrella
of soft power, which is described as "getting people to want the outcomes that you want" through
persuasion as opposed to force (Nye, 2008:95). The management of the lockdown, which strongly
advised people to stay at home without any official interdictions, was the most obvious illustration
of this soft power. Public officials and the media, on the other hand, put a lot of pressure on people
to follow directions. The people was highly compliant with the rules prohibiting any unnecessary
movement.

The Swiss government has lifted all COVID-19 restrictions. This means those entering the
country no longer need to present proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test result.
Quarantine, pre-departure testing, and testing upon arrival restrictions are waived for travelers who
provide a valid certificate attesting to their complete COVID-19 immunization. A minimum of 14
days, or at least 28 days in the case of the Janssen vaccine's single dosage, must have passed since
the last dose was given. Over-60s and anyone with certain vaccinations might need to provide
confirmation of a booster shot. Requires a quarantine. Non-immunized visitors must place
themselves in self-quarantine for five days when they arrive at their own home or place of lodging.
needed tests/medical records Non-immunized tourists must present documentation of a recent,
negative RT-PCR test before departing. Instead, travelers may present proof that they have
recovered from COVID-19. This calls for evidence of a positive test result, obtained no more than
60 days before to departure and at least 6 days prior. arriving for testing Non-immunized visitors
must pay for and submit to a supervised quick antigen test (RTK-Ag) within 24 hours of their
arrival. Instead, travellers may present proof that they have recovered from COVID-19. It will be
necessary to show documentation of a positive test result, obtained no more than 60 days before
to departure and at least 6 days prior.
4.0 REFERENCES

I)https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/swiss-tourism-sector-is-still-struggling-with-covid-
19-crisis-aftermath/

II)https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/fdfa/foreign-policy/cross-departmental-
themes/transports/air-transport.html

III) https://www.airport-technology.com/news/flughafen-zurich-passenger-traffic-h1-2021/

iv) https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/covid-19_coronavirus--the-situation-in-switzerland/45592192