Sion's Tourbillon castle, near the airport, in winter: certified a safe place to land, even with its high mountains, ice and snow

Update 15:30 Sion, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The airport in the Valais town of Sion has received international recognition for safety by being certified according to standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

ICAO is a Montreal-based UN body charged with standards, including the three-letter airport identification code.

The significance of the certification lies in the fact that it makes the airport’s marketing efforts easier, the airport’s manager, Bernard Karrer told GenevaLunch. Being able to show a certificate demonstrating international standards simplifies the vetting process for airlines.

Sion’s airport is the entry point for a wide range of summer and winter tourist destinations. It can handle 2,600 passengers  a day, and has a permanent customs office. In 2009, the airport handled almost 27,700 passengers. Eight commercial airlines use the airport regularly.

Air traffic was down sharply in 2009 as a result of the economic crisis, which saw two regular charter carriers that served Sion go bankrupt. Passenger numbers are up again, though, according to Karrer who anticipates a year-end figure of more than 37,000 passengers.

Five Swiss airports now have ICAO certification: Zurich, Geneva, Bern-Belp, St Gallen-Altenrhein, and Sion. The safety standards cover snow clearance and wing de-icing, and adequate emergency response capabilities. The infrastructure and procedures are overseen by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA), and each airport is audited every three years.

Links to other sites: 24Heures, Reuters, Swissinfo, Sion Airport site

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