Business update

Aviation

In the first half of 2024, a total of 14,516,638 passengers used Zurich Airport as a departure, transfer or destination airport. This represents an increase of 10.6% over the previous year. On peak days, passenger volumes exceeded 100,000 persons. According to the 2024 summer flight timetable, 62 airlines are flying from Zurich Airport to a total of 200 destinations, marking a slight increase over last year’s summer flight timetable. SWISS and Edelweiss have added new routes to Eastern and Northern Europe, respectively, as well as to North America and Asia. Since 16 June 2024, Air India has also been connecting Switzerland with New Delhi in India four times a week.

One particular operational challenge in the first half of 2024 was the weekend on which the Ukraine peace conference was held. On top of the regular flight programme, a total of 200 flights were handled from Friday to Sunday due to the many arrivals and departures of numerous government delegations.

Adjustments to passenger processes

Construction work to develop the landside passenger areas necessitated the closure of the current link between Airport Shopping and Terminal 1 at the end of February. Travellers had no difficulty adapting to the new route via Terminal 2 in the first half of 2024. Following extensive conversion work, the counters in Check-in 1 North returned to operation. In addition, boarding pass check 1 was modified. Thanks to the structural modifications, six new gates are now available for economy passengers and four new ones for business class and first class.

Since July, Zurich Airport has been testing CT (computer tomography) scanners at the passenger security checks. To this end, two security check lines have been fitted with the new technology, which obviates the need to remove electronic devices and liquids from hand luggage during security checks. The new devices are currently undergoing several months of testing – in different configurations and with different components – and the layout of the new security check lines is being optimised.

Multiple awards received again

Zurich Airport was named best airport in Europe again this year, meaning that it has now received the World Travel Award for the 21^st consecutive time. Since 2018, Zurich Airport has remained unsurpassed with regard to the ASQ Award for “Best airport in Europe in the 25 to 40 million passengers category”.

Real estate and commercial centers

Zurich Airport Ltd.’s real estate activities remain a solid mainstay, providing key underpinnings for its business performance. With around 330 tenants, the real estate portfolio testifies impressively to the diversity of the companies based at the Airport as well as to Zurich Airport’s appeal as a business location.

In the first few months of the year, the Circle continued to prove itself as a popular business center for nationally and internationally successful companies. More than 90% of the space is leased. Looking forward, four new concepts developed in conjunction with Novu Campus (a provider of co-working spaces), the SAP Experience Center, the ZRH Innovation Hub and Confiserie Bachmann will enhance the range of services available on the ground floor. A total of more than 50 companies with over 5,000 employees have now selected the Circle as their business location.

Airport Shopping/Airside Center

High passenger volumes in the first half of the year had a favourable impact on airside turnover. Attractive new brands and concepts in the form of Zegna, Hour Passion and Pre Loved Luxury were gained for the Airside Center. Despite the reduced range of offerings as a result of construction work, partner turnover was up on the previous year in the public area as well. Highlights such as public screening events during Euro 2024 and Food Zurich attracted large numbers of visitors, also contributing to turnover growth. Following the completion in 2027 of construction to develop the landside passenger zones, Airport Shopping will provide more spacious passenger routes, new retail areas and a food hall.

Infrastructure and development projects at Zurich Airport

Seven years after the launch of the project, principal work on the new baggage sorting system at Zurich Airport was successfully completed in June. Following an intensive construction phase and the changeover to the new baggage sorting system, the most critical parts of the old system were deactivated. Once the main work has been completed, the old infrastructure in the connecting tunnel headed to Dock E as well as the baggage sorting system in Dock E will be decoupled in autumn 2024. The old system will be fully replaced by 2027.

The preliminary project for the new Dock A made considerable progress in the first half of the year and should be completed by the end of 2024. Various interim solutions required to maintain operations during the construction phase will be implemented in the near future. Thus, for example, construction of the module with provisional bus gates and lounge areas will commence in spring 2025.

In the first half of 2024, an application for planning permission was also submitted to replace the existing business aviation infrastructure in Zone West. The project entails the construction of a new terminal building for business aviation passengers including the related administration infrastructure of the corresponding apron area and the development of the landside and airside infrastructure for business aviation.

Zurich Airport’s oldest cargo buildings date back to the 1950s and 1960s and no longer fully meet the requirements of modern air cargo business. This has prompted Zurich Airport Ltd. to build a new cargo building in the east of the Airport. Work on the Rächtenwisen cargo building commenced in April. The new infrastructure will be used by dnata Switzerland AG following the expected completion of the project in 2027.

One key milestone in the first half of the year was the receipt of the planning permission that had been applied for at the end of 2019 for the taxiway around runway 28. This crucial infrastructure project will substantially reduce the number of runway crossings by more than 100,000 compared with 2019, thus enhancing safety even further at Zurich Airport. The next step entails detailed planning work. On the basis of current plans, construction will commence in 2030 at the earliest.

SR Technics’ aircraft engine testing system will go into operation this autumn according to current plans and the progress achieved on the project. This will almost double engine testing capacity, a factor that is of strategic significance given the current rise in demand for engine maintenance.

International airport business

India

The largest foreign project entails the construction of a second airport in the greater Delhi region. Various important milestones have been passed ahead of full operability. Construction work on the runway, passenger terminal and control tower has reached an advanced stage. In the first half of 2024, further licences for ground handling, the operation of the commercial areas and important maintenance contracts were awarded. The new airport is to go into operation at the end of April 2025. Plans for further stands have already been initiated in response to the sharp growth in aviation in India. Noida International Airport has received the GEEF Global Environment Award 2024 in recognition of its environmental and sustainability initiatives – including for the use of rain water and waste management. The application for the determination of fees was submitted at the end of 2023, with public consultation by the Indian regulator expected in the next few months.

Latin America

Several successes can be reported in connection with the airports in Brazil: on 19 February 2024, operations of the international airport in Natal were officially taken over. The airport currently has a capacity of 6.5 million passengers per year; the operating licence runs for 30 years. Minor investments are planned in the airport infrastructure, security, commercial areas and passenger experience, among other things.

In addition, Florianópolis und Vitória were again named the best airports in Brazil, with “Floripa” ranking first and Vitória second. This award covers all size categories and is officially presented by the government. Both airports were additionally praised for their use of renewable energies, waste management and air quality. Construction of the runway at the airport in Macaé is proceeding according to plan and should be completed at the end of 2024.

The terminal at the airport in Iquique, Chile, has been finished and acceptance by the government is planned for late summer 2024. As the final element of the investment obligations set forth in the concession agreement, a request for tenders will be issued in the second half of the year for the apron areas still awaiting completion.

Corporate culture

Zurich Airport Ltd. offers an attractive working environment. 163 new employees were recruited in the first half of the year. At the same time, two new apprenticeships were introduced: digital business developer and automotive mechatronics technician. Its strategic priorities include responding to the changes in the working world and ensuring the company’s steady further development. Similarly, various measures are being taken to improve Zurich Airport Ltd.’s appeal as an employer. In the first half of 2024, the focus was on shift work. Questionnaires and workshops were organised to identify areas requiring attention and to define appropriate measures for heightening the appeal of demanding shift work.

Zurich Airport Ltd. is also working intensely on efforts to continue standardising processes as a means of enhancing efficiency. The project for rolling out the new SAP S/4 release is playing a key role in this regard and aims to boost process optimisation and standardisation. The transition to the new SAP S/4 software is to be completed in 2027.