Why do planes fly so low over Allschwil and Binningen?

When wind forces landings from the south, aircraft use the ILS 33 instrument approach (introduced in December 2007), which runs up the Birs valley and over Therwil, Oberwil, Bottmingen, Binningen and Allschwil. On short final over Binningen and Allschwil, aircraft are at roughly 300 m above ground — which is why the southern approach is the most contested noise corridor at EuroAirport. Drop a pin on the map above to see how often it affects your street.

What percentage of EuroAirport landings use the southern approach?

A 2006 Franco-Swiss administrative agreement sets an 8% investigation threshold and a 10% trigger for reduction measures on ILS 33 use. Both have been exceeded recently — about 13.8% of landings in 2023 and 11.8% in 2024 — which is why Binningen, Allschwil and the Gemeindeverbund Flugverkehr are demanding stricter enforcement and a higher tailwind limit before controllers switch to southerly operations.

Which areas around Basel are quietest for aircraft noise?

Most of Basel city east of the Bachgraben area, plus Riehen and the German side around Weil am Rhein, sit off the main north–south runway axis and hear little. On the French side, villages east and west of the departure fan (away from Hégenheim, Hésingue and Blotzheim) are much quieter than the host communes. The Swiss Leimental suburbs are quiet except on south-approach days. Use the pin-drop map above to check a specific address.

Why does EuroAirport departure noise concentrate on the French side?

Departures off runway 15 roll south and then turn right toward the southwest over Hégenheim, Hésingue and the Saint-Louis area — a routing deliberately designed to avoid overflying central Basel. That keeps most take-off noise over French communes, while the Swiss side's main grievance is the ILS 33 landing approach rather than departures.

Who runs EuroAirport — France or Switzerland?

Both. EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is the world's only binational airport, jointly operated by France and Switzerland under a 1949 treaty. It sits entirely on French soil at Saint-Louis in Alsace, so noise rules are set by French ministerial decree — even though most passengers and many of the noise complaints come from the Swiss side.

How do I complain about aircraft noise from EuroAirport?

Use the airport's TraVis flight-track and noise portal (travis.euroairport.com), which lets you identify the exact flight before filing, or email the Environment Department at enviro@euroairport.com; the switchboard is +33 3 89 90 31 11. Swiss residents also coordinate complaints through their municipalities and the Schutzverband der Bevölkerung um den Flughafen Basel-Mulhouse.

Is EuroAirport getting quieter?

Measurably, at night. Take-offs after 11 PM dropped by more than 60% in 2024 versus 2019 (over 70% in early 2025), and measured night noise north of the airport fell by more than 6 dB(A). The least-noisy departure procedure NADP-1 has been mandatory since October 2024, and noise-differentiated landing charges were tightened again in January 2025.

Does this map include all aircraft at Basel?

Commercial traffic at EuroAirport has near-complete ADS-B coverage, so the heatmap and route-density layers reflect actual airline movements accurately. Some light general-aviation aircraft using the short 07/25 crosswind runway may not be equipped, but they are a marginal share of movements and of noise.

Basel Flight Path Noise Map – EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (BSL)

Name: Aircraft noise observations near EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg
Creator: Flight Path Noise
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Aircraft noise around Basel in October 2026

Loudest neighborhoods near Basel: Hégenheim, Hésingue, Saint-Louis, Blotzheim, Allschwil. Quietest: Sierentz, Weil am Rhein (DE). Busiest around 1 PM local time averaging 280 flights/day. Source: Flight Path Noise monitoring data, 30 days to 2026-10-19.

Flights by hour · last 30 days

12a6a12p6p

Average daily traffic

280

flights / day · 8,390 total

Busiest hour

1 PM

peak 93 dB

Loudest hour

5 PM

peak 95 dB

Loudest residential area

Hégenheim

69 dB avg · ~217 flights/day · Busy road

Directly under runway 15 departures as they climb and curve southwest; one of the loudest French communes

Does Basel Airport have a curfew?

Partial — no scheduled departures 11 PM – 6 AM, and the airport is effectively closed to commercial traffic midnight – 5 AM.

EuroAirport’s night rules are set by French ministerial decree (signed 6 August 2021, in force since 1 February 2022), because the airport sits on French soil even though it serves Basel. Scheduled departures are banned from 11 PM; aircraft delayed through no fault of the airline may still push back until midnight, with justification required within 48 hours. From midnight the door closes further — no commercial landings between midnight and 5 AM, and no commercial departures until 6 AM, with exemptions only for medical, humanitarian, state and emergency flights. The noisiest older jets (Chapter 3 types with a cumulative noise margin under 13 EPNdB) are additionally barred 10 PM to midnight and 5–6 AM, and general aviation is banned 10 PM – 6 AM outright. It is not a Zurich-style total curfew — landings remain possible 11 PM – midnight and 5–6 AM — and Swiss municipalities and the Schutzverband continue to campaign for a full 11 PM – 6 AM ban. The decree is working, though: take-offs after 11 PM fell by more than 60% versus 2019 by 2024.

EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (BSL/LFSB) is the world’s only binational airport — jointly operated by France and Switzerland, sitting on French soil in Alsace about 6 km northwest of Basel, yet serving the Swiss city as its de-facto home airport. That geography shapes the noise politics: the rules are written by French ministerial decree, while a large share of the complaints come from Swiss suburbs. Most jets land from the north over Alsatian villages like Bartenheim and Blotzheim, but when wind forces the contested ILS 33 southern approach, aircraft cross the Swiss communities of Binningen and Allschwil at roughly 300 m — the single most disputed corridor in the tri-national region. Swiss protection associations continue to push for a full Zurich-style 11 PM – 6 AM night ban.

Which neighborhoods are quietest — and which aren’t

EuroAirport has one dominant runway: the 3,900 m north–south 15/33, which handles about 97% of movements. A short 1,820 m east–west crosswind runway (07/25) serves mainly light and general aviation. Because nearly everything uses one axis, the noise footprint is unusually predictable — a northern arrival corridor over Alsace, a southwestern departure fan over the French host communes, and an intermittent southern approach corridor over the Swiss Leimental.

Area	Aircraft noise	Why
Hégenheim	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Directly under runway 15 departures as they climb and turn southwest
Hésingue	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Airport sits partly on the commune; under the departure turn
Saint-Louis	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Host commune beside the field; ground noise plus departure tracks
Blotzheim	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Near the runway 15 threshold; low arrivals on the northern approach
Allschwil (CH)	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Under the ILS 33 short final at ~300 m on south-approach days
Binningen (CH)	✈︎✈︎✈︎	On the ILS 33 centreline at ~300 m
Bartenheim	✈︎✈︎	Under the northern final approach — steady arrivals
Buschwiller	✈︎✈︎	West edge of the southern departure fan
Basel-West (Bachgraben/Iselin)	✈︎✈︎	Hears ILS 33 arrivals and some departure noise
Bottmingen (CH)	✈︎✈︎	ILS 33 path at ~500–700 m; south-approach days only
Oberwil (CH)	✈︎✈︎	ILS 33 corridor over the Leimental
Therwil (CH)	✈︎✈︎	Further out on the ILS 33 approach (~700 m)
Sierentz	✈︎	Northern arrival stream at higher altitude
Weil am Rhein (DE)	✈︎	East of the runway axis, mostly off-corridor

The pattern to understand before renting or buying: French communes get the constant noise, Swiss suburbs get the contested noise. Hégenheim, Hésingue, Saint-Louis and Blotzheim hear aircraft nearly every operating day, because the preferential runway 15 configuration puts arrivals and departures over them. Allschwil, Binningen and the Leimental villages can go days with almost nothing, then face a stretch of low southern-approach overflights when the wind turns. Central and eastern Basel, Riehen and the German side are largely clear. Drop a pin on the map above to see which regime applies at your address.

Flight patterns and runway use

The preferential configuration is runway 15: aircraft land from the north-northwest, descending over Sierentz, Bartenheim and Blotzheim on final, and depart to the south before turning right toward the southwest over Hégenheim, Hésingue and the Saint-Louis area. That departure turn exists specifically to avoid overflying central Basel — which is why take-off noise concentrates on the French communes south and southwest of the field.

When wind requires southerly operations, landings switch to the ILS 33 instrument approach, introduced in December 2007. It brings aircraft up the Birs valley over Therwil, Oberwil, Bottmingen, Binningen and Allschwil, crossing the last suburbs at roughly 300 m above ground before touching down on the displaced runway 33 threshold. A 2006 Franco-Swiss administrative agreement caps ILS 33 use — 8% of annual landings triggers an investigation, 10% triggers reduction measures — but the cap has been exceeded repeatedly: about 13.8% of landings in 2023 and 11.8% in 2024. Those overruns are the core of the current dispute, with Binningen, Allschwil and the Gemeindeverbund Flugverkehr demanding stricter enforcement and a higher tailwind allowance before controllers switch south.

Two recent operational changes aim at the noise itself rather than the routing: the least-noisy departure climb procedure NADP-1 has been mandatory since October 2024, and noise-differentiated landing charges were tightened again with the January 2025 tariff regulations. The short 07/25 crosswind runway plays a marginal role — mostly light aircraft — and barely registers in the noise statistics.

The route-density layer on the map above makes the single-axis pattern obvious: one bright corridor running north over Alsace, a fan curving southwest over the French communes, and a thinner, intermittent line southeast over the Leimental.

When is it quietest?

The French decree of 6 August 2021 (in force since 1 February 2022) gives EuroAirport a firmer night than its “no full curfew” reputation suggests:

11 PM – midnight: no scheduled departures; only delayed flights where the airline is not at fault may still push back, and the noisiest Chapter 3 aircraft are barred entirely from 10 PM. Late arrivals continue.
Midnight – 5 AM: effectively closed to commercial traffic — no landings, no departures, exemptions only for medical, humanitarian, state and emergency flights.
5 AM – 6 AM: landings resume (quieter types only until 6 AM); departures stay banned until 6 AM.
6 AM – 8 AM: the morning departure bank — the loudest window for Hégenheim, Hésingue and Saint-Louis.
Daytime: sustained short-haul traffic, heaviest in the morning and from late afternoon into the evening arrival bank.
9 PM – 11 PM: departures taper toward the 11 PM cut-off.

The measures are having a measurable effect: take-offs after 11 PM fell by more than 60% in 2024 versus 2019 (over 70% in early 2025), and night noise north of the airport dropped by more than 6 dB(A). Swiss campaigners’ comparison point remains Zurich, whose curfew runs 11:30 PM – 6 AM with no late-landing windows — the gap between the two regimes is now the 11 PM – midnight and 5 – 6 AM landing windows, and that is exactly where the Schutzverband and the Swiss municipalities are pressing.

For the Swiss Leimental suburbs, “quiet” is less about time of day than wind direction: on northerly-operation days (the large majority) there is little traffic overhead at any hour.

How to check noise at your specific address

The map above answers “is this spot loud?” in three steps:

Search your address or postcode in the bar at the bottom of the map.
Drop a pin — click the location marker that appears.
Read the noise report in the sidebar: average daily noise (Leq), peak observed dB, flights per day passing within 2 km, and an hourly breakdown.

The Noise Heatmap layer (orange/red = louder) and the Route Density layer (purple/magenta = busier corridors) make the single-runway geometry clear. If your pin lands in Hégenheim, Hésingue, Saint-Louis or Blotzheim, expect daily exposure; in Allschwil, Binningen or the Leimental, check the hourly and daily variation — your noise arrives in south-approach episodes rather than as a constant. Most of Basel city proper will land in the quiet zone.

Frequently asked questions

Why do planes fly so low over Allschwil and Binningen?: When wind forces landings from the south, aircraft use the ILS 33 instrument approach (introduced in December 2007), which runs up the Birs valley and over Therwil, Oberwil, Bottmingen, Binningen and Allschwil. On short final over Binningen and Allschwil, aircraft are at roughly 300 m above ground — which is why the southern approach is the most contested noise corridor at EuroAirport. Drop a pin on the map above to see how often it affects your street.
What percentage of EuroAirport landings use the southern approach?: A 2006 Franco-Swiss administrative agreement sets an 8% investigation threshold and a 10% trigger for reduction measures on ILS 33 use. Both have been exceeded recently — about 13.8% of landings in 2023 and 11.8% in 2024 — which is why Binningen, Allschwil and the Gemeindeverbund Flugverkehr are demanding stricter enforcement and a higher tailwind limit before controllers switch to southerly operations.
Which areas around Basel are quietest for aircraft noise?: Most of Basel city east of the Bachgraben area, plus Riehen and the German side around Weil am Rhein, sit off the main north–south runway axis and hear little. On the French side, villages east and west of the departure fan (away from Hégenheim, Hésingue and Blotzheim) are much quieter than the host communes. The Swiss Leimental suburbs are quiet except on south-approach days. Use the pin-drop map above to check a specific address.
Why does EuroAirport departure noise concentrate on the French side?: Departures off runway 15 roll south and then turn right toward the southwest over Hégenheim, Hésingue and the Saint-Louis area — a routing deliberately designed to avoid overflying central Basel. That keeps most take-off noise over French communes, while the Swiss side's main grievance is the ILS 33 landing approach rather than departures.
Who runs EuroAirport — France or Switzerland?: Both. EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is the world's only binational airport, jointly operated by France and Switzerland under a 1949 treaty. It sits entirely on French soil at Saint-Louis in Alsace, so noise rules are set by French ministerial decree — even though most passengers and many of the noise complaints come from the Swiss side.
How do I complain about aircraft noise from EuroAirport?: Use the airport's TraVis flight-track and noise portal (travis.euroairport.com), which lets you identify the exact flight before filing, or email the Environment Department at enviro@euroairport.com; the switchboard is +33 3 89 90 31 11. Swiss residents also coordinate complaints through their municipalities and the Schutzverband der Bevölkerung um den Flughafen Basel-Mulhouse.
Is EuroAirport getting quieter?: Measurably, at night. Take-offs after 11 PM dropped by more than 60% in 2024 versus 2019 (over 70% in early 2025), and measured night noise north of the airport fell by more than 6 dB(A). The least-noisy departure procedure NADP-1 has been mandatory since October 2024, and noise-differentiated landing charges were tightened again in January 2025.
Does this map include all aircraft at Basel?: Commercial traffic at EuroAirport has near-complete ADS-B coverage, so the heatmap and route-density layers reflect actual airline movements accurately. Some light general-aviation aircraft using the short 07/25 crosswind runway may not be equipped, but they are a marginal share of movements and of noise.

Sources and further reading

New ministerial decree for Basel-Mulhouse Airport — EuroAirport
Significantly fewer take-offs after 23:00 at EuroAirport — measures are proving effective — EuroAirport
EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg — Wikipedia
EuroAirport Basel–Mulhouse–Freiburg runways — OurAirports
Fluglärm — municipal information incl. ILS 33 share and Gemeindeverbund demands — Gemeinde Allschwil
Flugverkehr — ILS 33 approach altitudes and municipal position — Gemeinde Binningen

Data updated 2026-10-19 — live ADS-B monitoring, rolling 30-day statistics (methodology). Article text revised 2026-07-17.

30 dB	Whisper
45 dB	Quiet residential
55 dB	Normal conversation
65 dB	Busy road
75 dB	Vacuum cleaner
85 dB	Heavy traffic
95 dB	Motorcycle nearby

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Basel Flight Path Noise Map – EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (BSL)

Aircraft noise around Basel in October 2026

Does Basel Airport have a curfew?

Which neighborhoods are quietest — and which aren’t

Flight patterns and runway use

When is it quietest?

How to check noise at your specific address

Frequently asked questions

Sources and further reading

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