As reported in Swiss media outlet 20 Minutes on Saturday, a Swiss man who had attempted to fly to Düsseldorf from Zurich to visit his girlfriend was turned away when trying to check in. 

Airport authorities told the man, named in Swiss media as AJ, entry into Germany was only possible for married couples and those with registered partnerships, rather than for unregistered couples. 

Although Switzerland has allowed unregistered couples separated by the Swiss border to visit each other since May 16th, this is only when crossing a land borders. 

Speaking with 20 Minutes, AJ said he’d booked a ticket as soon as the announcement about unregistered couples was made. 

“I wanted to visit my girlfriend. We haven’t seen each other since the beginning of March because of the border closures,” he said. 

“When the announcement was made that borders would be relaxed for binational couples, I immediately booked a Eurowings flight to Düsseldorf.”

“German authorities informed me that the easing provisions for binational couples apply to the land borders between Germany and Switzerland, but not to the air borders.”

“It will only be possible to see her again from June 15th at the earliest. 

Tourism despite coronavirus: Swiss can holiday in Germany, France and Austria this summer 

Swiss media however reports that the same rules do not apply in the other direction, i.e. when flying from Germany into Switzerland. 

According to the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), a signed ‘self-declaration’ that the passenger is in an unregistered relationship will be sufficient proof in order to fly.