Federal Government takes action against aircraft noise at Zurich Airport

The Confederation limits night landings and take-offs at Zurich Airport. (Photo: Christian Beutler / Keystone (Kloten, August 14, 2014))

The operation at Zurich Airport is too noisy during the night: according to the 2016 surveillance, between 22 and 24 hours, there are sometimes significant transgressions permissible sound pollution. The population is affected in the cantons of Zurich, Aargau and Schaffhausen. Now, the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (Bazl) intervenes. He orders measures against aircraft noise during the night.

Specifically, the slots for landings are limited to 21 hours and for takeoffs at 22:20 on the current status. This means that the new fast taxis on Runway 28, which are commissioned in the fall, can not be used to increase capacity. Instead, innovations should help planes arrive more punctually in the evening, be faster and change passengers in a timely manner. Often these are food flights for intercontinental flights. In case of late landing, the launch of heavy long haul aircraft will be delayed. With the measures taken, delayed departures should be reduced after 23 hours. This is the biggest noise problem: between 11 pm and 11:30 pm, delayed aircraft can take off and land without a license. In 2016, 2300 flights were affected

Little joy in the decision of the Bazl you have at Zurich Airport: Immediately, the measures would have no consequence because it is a Plafonierung, says spokeswoman Sonja Zöchling: "However, this is the development of Zurich Airport." This desire to be more flexible for intercontinental flights and their connections to the European network. The airport itself made suggestions on how to reduce delays, including the optimization of the long-haul evening flight processes in cooperation with the Swiss airline, which has been implemented but has not yet been implemented. For example, Bazl has given the Zurich airport permission to start heavy planes from runway 32, which saves time. As early as 2013, Zurich Airport had also It has filed with Bazl a request to increase the cost of take-off after 23 hours from 400 to 3,000 Swiss francs. This should make airlines more disciplined and more ad hoc. However, the Bazl doubts the effect director of this increase in fees. The thing is waiting. An external report should help clarify the dispute between the Confederation and the airport

Confederation contradicts itself?

For Hanspeter Lienhart, president of IG North, the new measures go too far: "The coverage of noise pollution today" The unsustainable conditions are not profitable for the northern population of the North Airport, "explains Lienhart. He complains that the Bazl only targets departures delayed after 23 hours. According to Li Lienhart, there would be no effective measures to reduce noise pollution between 10 pm and 11 pm. He is also concerned that noise protection will be mitigated. In fact, the Bazl leaves the airport. He wants to check a redefinition of the admissible noise pollution at night. The train is the airport itself: by the end of August, it should submit proposals. The current limits are based on forecasts for 2010. The Bazl wants to authorize the airport as well as the development, which provided the Federal Council in the aviation policy report and in the Infrastructure Sector Plan of the 39; aviation.

The Chamber of Commerce also complains that the Bazl decision is contrary to the Federal Council's requirements to increase the hourly capacity of 66 to 70 aircraft movements. With the approval of the plan, no other destination with essential intercontinental flights could be included in the schedule, the organization writes: "In the long run, Switzerland's international accessibility will be compromised. "Zurich Airport will now consider the decision, as Zöchling. The call period runs until mid-August.