Regional contribution

The Zurich Airport Group’s airports have an impact on the entire regions in which they operate. They are an important economic factor and play key roles in society.

Relevance

Approach and progress

Direct flights as a locational advantage

The role of Zurich Airport as a European gateway to the global aviation network is both a requirement of its operating licence from the Swiss government and is anchored in the company’s purpose. Fulfilling this mandate for the benefit of Switzerland is an integral part of the company’s identity, both on a day-to-day operational basis and as part of its long-term infrastructure development.

The direct European and intercontinental flights offered at Zurich Airport provide key locational advantages for the region and Switzerland as a whole. As well as bringing tourists to the country, the excellent global links attract businesses to locate here and help them grow, which also has knock-on beneficial effects for science, culture, sport etc. Overall, excellent connections are a key factor in making the region a highly desirable place to live and work. Along with passenger transport, freight is also an important economic driver.

Zurich Airport Ltd. is actively striving to maintain existing direct flights at all its airports and launch new ones by liaising closely with airlines to identify potential routes. It also aims to provide high-quality airport infrastructure across the board so that it remains attractive to airlines wishing to offer flight routes.

Regional value creation

The international sites also contribute significantly to wealth creation in the regions where they operate. Notable investments of the Zurich Airport Group in 2024 included construction of the new Noida Airport in India, the new runway at Macaé in Brazil, and the expansion and upgrading of the Iquique terminal in Chile.

Zurich Airport Ltd. is considered a public contracting entity in the transport sector and is therefore obliged to comply with public procurement law. This applies both to procurements covered by the relevant international treaties as part of GATT/WTO or with the EU and those not covered by such agreements. Procurements are put out to tender in accordance with federal law. Further information on this topic can be found in the Anti-corruption and Human rights sections.

Alongside the great importance to the economy, the company’s business activities also benefit the regions and countries where its airports are located thanks to the charges and taxes they generate. Since privatisation in 2000, Zurich Airport Ltd. has paid direct taxes in the amount of CHF 887 million in Switzerland and CHF 579 million in dividends have flowed into the public purse (at federal, cantonal, city and municipality level). In financial terms alone, its contribution thus amounts to CHF 1.46 billion over the last 24 years. The Swiss Confederation accounts for 19%, the Canton of Zurich for 54%, the city of Zurich for 5% and other towns and municipalities for 22%.

In the case of its international majority interests, concession fees for the operation of the airports concerned are paid to the respective governments. These fees are payable either at the time the concession agreement is signed or are spread over the term of the concession. Details can be found under Note 24.7, Concessions for the operation of foreign airports.

Transport hub, service center and leisure destination

Airports are much more than transfer points. They are destinations unto themselves, acting as multifaceted meeting points and commercial and service centers. They play a key role in local residents’ day-to-day lives. Zurich Airport furthermore functions as a central public transport hub for the area to the north of the city of Zurich, connecting to both local and intercity services. With around 450 train, 400 tram and 700 bus services daily, Zurich Airport is one of the best-connected locations in Switzerland. A statutory requirement in relation to access journeys to Zurich Airport stipulates a minimum proportion of public transport. This “modal split” requirement of 42% for the year 2020 was met and the company is on track to reach its target of 46% for the year 2030. Having been suspended in 2021 due to the pandemic, statistics will be collected again and the next report will be published in 2025.

A number of different guided tours and bus tours – some of which are in cooperation with the partner companies – enables Zurich Airport Ltd. to offer a look behind the scenes. In addition, the observation decks enable visitors to experience flight operations up close. On average, some 300,000 people visit them each year. Conferences, business meetings and events of all kind are also held at the airport. The Circle and the adjacent park covering some 80,000 m² of green space provide further opportunities for meeting up with people, exploring and relaxing.

With numerous cafés and restaurants, plane spotting locations and nature conservation areas, the extensive environs around Zurich Airport’s runways offer further recreational spaces that draw additional visitors. Zurich Airport Ltd. is keen to maintain these attractive amenities around the airport in future. A viewing platform known as “plane spottersʼ hill” in the west section of the airport had to be delayed further due to construction disputes.

The table below shows participant numbers for visitor activities at Zurich Airport. The sharp increase is due to the lifting of restrictions after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The international sites are also service hubs and are positioned as leisure destinations where possible. At Florianópolis Airport in Brazil, Boulevard 14/32 provides a leisure and entertainment center with food, shopping and concert venues covering more than 11,000 m². It celebrated its five-year anniversary in the year under review and is being developed on a continuous basis. 91 events were held there during the year under review, attended by a total of 97,960 people, and 1,235 visitors took part in 49 guided tours of the airport. The airport also houses basic public services on site. For example, there is an office of the traffic licensing authority for vehicle registrations, which must be renewed annually in Brazil, and an outpatient health clinic in the former terminal building.

Partner in research and education

Collaboration with universities and companies involved in research is a priority for Zurich Airport. Various employees share their expertise and time with universities and institutions such as the University of Zurich, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), the University of St. Gallen (HSG) and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts for practice-centered lectures, assisting with case studies or reviewing dissertations. Universities and organisations furthermore make use of Zurich Airport’s resources as a platform for hands-on research into new technologies, in particular for aviation-related topics, but also generally in various other areas. The collaborative focus here is on the development and utilisation of technologies and processes for improving operational safety and efficiency and on mitigating environmental impacts. To learn more about the company’s role in vocational training, see the Responsible employer section.

Sponsorships, non-profit activities and partnerships

The focus of sponsorship commitments for Zurich Airport Ltd. lies on local society. At the Zurich site, the company supports smaller local sport and cultural organisations, non-profit organisations, city and village festivals and a number of larger cultural events in the area. The main commitment is to ice hockey, with Zurich Airport Ltd. serving as the main partner to the Young Flyers. More than 720 young athletes belong to this ice hockey association. The company also sponsors the local ice hockey club EHC Kloten, which plays in the top Swiss division.

Zurich Airport Ltd. provides not only money but also services in kind for its sponsorships. The company furthermore has strategic partnerships with some individual organisations such as Switzerland Tourism, Zurich Tourism, the Swiss Museum of Transport, Food Zurich and the Zurich Film Festival.

At its international locations, Zurich Airport Ltd. organises and supports community activities that benefit local people. In Brazil, there are cultural events and those of a social and educational nature, such as the “Água e Vida” project, which has been active for several years, and educational and awareness-raising work on ocean conservation with school classes. The activities are carried out at all Brazilian locations where Zurich Airport Ltd. has majority interests. Classroom instruction on the sustainable use of natural resources is just as much part of the programme as beach clean-up days. The “Protecting coastal vegetation” project in Vitória was continued in the year under review by an NGO with events in surrounding districts. In Macaé, a new jiu-jitsu project was rolled out in the year under review, with the assistance of the construction company in charge of building the runway. It offers 50 children from the nearby Piracema district training in self-defence techniques. In Natal and Florianòpolis, more than 560 children from disadvantaged communities were invited to tour the airport, a fun way for the children to learn about the exciting world of aviation.

At Noida Airport in India, non-profit activities for surrounding communities are a priority, which is why companies over a certain size are obliged to take part. In the year under review, two projects were conducted in cooperation with local NGOs. The first is an educational programme offering advanced practical training for young adults, which 54 people completed in the reporting year. The second project is designed for people who were relocated due to the construction of the airport (see Human rights section) and focuses on health and medical care, digital and financial skills, and vocational and school programmes. Once the airport has commenced operation, investment in areas such as medical services, education, the provision of drinking water or road building are planned over a period of five years, for example installation of manual water pumps or the renovation of a school building.