Lufthansa strike impacts flights to and from Switzerland; Swiss house prices continue their upward trend; and more news in our roundup on Monday.
Lufthansa strike is impacting flights to and from Switzerland
The pilots’ union for Lufthansa, Europe’s biggest air transport group, will hold a two-day strike staring today.
The walkout is scheduled to run from 12:01 am on Monday until 11:59 pm on Tuesday.
As a result of this industrial action, some flights between Switzerland and Germany will be cancelled.
Zurich Airport cancelled four Lufthansa round-trip flights to and from Frankfurt scheduled for Monday, while Geneva Airport reported two cancelled flights bound for Frankfurt and Munich.
No information regarding Tuesday’s schedule is available yet.
House prices continue their upward trend
In March, prices for single-family homes and condominiums rose significantly across Switzerland. Even regions that are typically more affordable have recorded particularly sharp increases.
According to ImmoScout24 Purchase Index, sales prices for single-family homes rose by 1.5 percent last month compared to February, while prices for condominiums increased by 1 percent.
On a year-on-year basis – that is, compared to March 2025 – home prices rose by 4.6 percent, and apartments by 4.8 percent.
Advertisement
And speaking of real estate…
Geneva will better monitor Airbnb rental abuses
Given the continued housing shortage in the city and canton, authorities are planning measures to prevent landlords from using their apartments as temporary tourist rentals.
Currently in Geneva, primary residences can be rented out for up to 90 days per year, though many owners don’t comply with this regulation.
Therefore, the cantonal parliament is planning to establish a centralised registry listing all short-term rental properties.
No listing could appear on a rental platform or in ads without first undergoing this registration process, so that authorities can track abuses more effectively.
“The Geneva housing market – with its vacancy rate at an all-time low – must be protected. It is essential to combat abuses,” local official Nicolas Walder said.
Advertisement
Global warming hits Switzerland harder than many other regions
Though this has been known for a while, a new report by the Swiss Academy of Science, authored by 60 experts, reiterates the fact that Switzerland is warming faster than many other parts of the world.
From the start of record-keeping in 1864, the average temperature in Switzerland rose by 1.8C – more than double the global average.
And the bad news, the report pointed out, is that the warming process has not yet reached its peak, continuing to accelerate instead,
READ MORE: Why is Switzerland warming faster than most countries in the world?
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at news@thelocal.ch
