Number of flight movements for sightseeing flights

Sightseeing flights are characterised by the fact that the aircraft return to their departure airport without landing in the meantime. They are often used for tourism, and primarily offer the opportunity to discover the local area. Smaller aeroplanes, helicopters or airships are flown, and the flights usually last 1 to 2 hours.
Alberto Santos-Dumont undertook the first sightseeing flight in an airship on 19 October 1901. In doing so, he won the “Deutsch de la Meurthe” prize and was awarded 100,000 francs for completing the first non-stop flight round the Eiffel Tower and back within 30 minutes.

Commercial sightseeing flights
Sightseeing flights are considered to be commercial aviation. Companies provide these for a fixed price, and they are subject to statutory safety regulations. Commercial sightseeing flights are always carried out by professional pilots who are registered with an aviation company.
In Switzerland, there are numerous companies that offer sightseeing flights at the national and regional airports, as well as at airfields.

Transport volume and passenger numbers
Transport volume is gauged by the number of aircraft movements completed annually. Each aircraft movement (take-off or landing) is counted individually. Sightseeing flights which take off and land at the same airport are therefore counted as two flight movements.
In terms of the sightseeing flights during the past years, these figures have shown a sharp decrease (2000 – 2016 -46%).