Altenrhein airfield stages centenary show with 25,000 tickets sold

St. Gallen-Altenrhein airfield is marking its 100th anniversary with a major air show this weekend, with about 25,000 tickets sold so far, ORF Vorarlberg reported. Organisers expect around 35,000 visitors, while extensive safety measures have been introduced.

The planned programme includes five fighter jets, historic aircraft, rescue helicopters, a zeppelin, the Flying Bulls aircraft from the Red Bull collection, parachute jumps and model aircraft.

The Patrouille Suisse is one of the show’s highlights. The Swiss aerobatic team is due to be disbanded by the end of 2027, making this one of its final appearances in the Lake Constance region.

The event required approval from authorities in Vorarlberg because the airfield lies directly on the Austrian border and the airspace over Vorarlberg is affected. The state granted approval in February, subject to conditions.

The decision drew strong opposition from the Rhine Delta municipalities of Gaißau, Höchst and Fußach. Their mayors criticised the expected noise and safety risks. Residents and environmental groups also objected to the additional disturbance caused by fighter jets and other loud aircraft near the Rhine Delta, a sensitive Natura 2000 protected area.

Skyguide air traffic control chief Max Mumenthaler said no other aircraft would be allowed through the control zone while the show aircraft were performing. Normal scheduled flights, including services to Vienna and holiday destinations, would continue, he said.

A drone detection system has also been installed to keep private drones out of the airspace and prevent possible collisions with aircraft.

Most of the aircraft will use sustainable fuel, including fuel made from biomass, while the remaining aircraft must purchase carbon dioxide certificates. Opponents say that is insufficient and are planning a vigil at the entrance to the event grounds.

The airfield is authorised to accommodate 70,000 visitors. Tickets have been selling at a rate of between 1,500 and 1,800 per day in recent days, according to Raphael Widmer-Kaufmann of the organising team.

Altenrhein has been closely connected to Austria’s Rhine Valley since the 1920s. Scheduled flights to Basel, Innsbruck and Munich began in the late 1920s. In 1988, Vorarlberg aviation entrepreneur Rolf Seewald’s Rheintalflug Seewald GmbH received a licence for scheduled flights to Vienna. Since 2011, the airline People’s, run by Vorarlberg entrepreneur Markus Kopf, has operated the Altenrhein Vienna route up to twice daily.