Basel Airport Departures (BSL)

Flight Departures at Basel Airport

Basel Airport departures have a large variety of options for onward travel open to them. The airport's official code can be a little confusing, since the IATA code can be either BSL for Basel in Switzerland or MLH for Mulhouse in France. In addition, the official international code is EAP, which stands for Euro Airport.

Departures at Basel can catch flights to Frankfurt, Manchester, Barcelona, Edinburgh, Paris-Orly, London Heathrow, Dresden, Madrid, Nice and Copenhagen among many other European destinations.

Flights are offered via well known carriers such as EasyJet, Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, Air Berlin, Swiss Air and Austrian Airlines to name but a few. Last year more than 9 million travelers passed through this relatively small airport that was inaugurated on 8th May 1946. In 2012 the old part of the terminal building is undergoing some much needed refurbishment and renovation. It is envisaged that this central part of the terminal building will practically be rebuilt by 2013.

The airport has only one terminal building, a large glass and steel structure with car parking right in front. Passengers seeking assistance should seek out the information desk, which is situated on level 2 and opens at 5.30 am, staying open until midnight every day.

Departures at Basel won't have any difficulties to reach the airport no matter which neighbouring country they might travel from. The airport is located at the very crossroads of economically well-to-do regions. The wine-growing and popular tourist region of the Alsace, North West Switzerland and the Federal State of Baden Württemberg in Germany are just on the doorstep of Basel Airport, which has excellent road connections. From Basel train station passengers have easy access to the airport via regular trams and airport buses.

The terminal is open around the clock but terminal operations don’t start until 4.00 am and continue until midnight every day. Depending on their status, departing passengers must check in either 60 minutes or 90 minutes prior to their flight.

For passengers who have no luggage to register and who have already checked in the evening before via the internet, the waiting time is cut to just one hour, since they can proceed directly to the security checks in the departure hall.

Passengers with luggage to register and a full check-in still to complete must allow at least 90 minutes for the whole process. Departures at Basel Airport can either check-in at the automatic check-in machines in the departure hall or go to the relevant counter of their airline to register luggage and complete check-in. Departures travelling to non-Schengen countries should allow a further 30 minutes to go through passport control.

Basel departures who have either lost or mislaid their luggage or have a complaint about damaged luggage should consult the relevant Lost and Found Luggage desk of their airline. The last airline that handled a passenger's luggage is responsible for dealing with either lost or damaged passenger luggage. The Air France and Swissport desks for example are in the French Sector in hall 1, level 2 and the arrivals hall of the international sector for example.

For passengers with a little time on their hands prior to their flight there are various shops, bars and restaurants to while away the waiting time. Since the terminal is split into an international zone, a French and Swiss sector, there are different opening times and different facilities at all of them.

For example, there are restaurants located on level 5 in the Swiss Sector, with opening times from Monday to Sunday from 08.00 to 23.00. The French sector has restaurants with opening times Monday to Thursday from 09.00 to 23.00 and from Friday to Sunday from 08.00 to 23.00.

Departing passengers will find Duty Free shopping in the departure hall, once they have gone through the security checks and passport control.

For further information about Basel departures, please visit the official Euro Airport website at www.euroairport.com.