Airport takes stock of the 2024 summer holidays
The summer holidays are coming to an end in many Swiss cantons. The operational processes at Zurich Airport were further improved together with the partners. However, several thunderstorms and restrictions in air traffic control led to increased delays during the summer months.
The summer holidays are one of the busiest times of the year at Zurich Airport. Operations at Switzerland's largest airport were accordingly intensive for all companies involved. A total of around 3.1 million passengers travelled through Zurich Airport in July (-1.4% compared to 2019). The peak day was July 26 with 111,000 passengers. The all-time daily record day of 115’000 passengers dates back to the summer of 2019. The exact traffic figures for the month of July were published on August 13.
Among the most popular travel destinations was the Mediterranean region as well as the USA. A total of 62 airlines serve 200 destinations from Zurich Airport.
Quality of operation increased
Compared to last year, the quality of operations has seen improvement. Waiting times at check-in, security and border control have been reduced.
Thanks to the use of additional staff this year and various operational improvements, we are largely achieving the quality standard that passengers in Zurich are used to. However, individual daily peaks can never be prevented during our summer business.
During summer operation, the new machines in the terminals where passengers from different airlines can print their baggage tags (bag tag) independently have also proven their worth. This shortens the check-in-process as well as the use of the machines for self-baggage drop-off. The two new security scanners with computed tomography scanners (CT scanners), which are currently tested, were also actively used over the summer months.
We would like to thank all passengers who, thanks to their good preparation for their trip, helped to keep waiting times as short as possible.
Measures to reduce delays
Compared to the previous year, punctuality has improved over the summer months. The delay situation in the months of June and July was not satisfactory. The punctuality rate during the busy summer decreased compared to previous months due to drastic regulations by European air traffic control, numerous thunderstorms and the tense geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
In order to reduce delays, Flughafen Zürich AG, together with its partners SWISS, Swissport and Skyguide, has devised numerous measures that can be implemented at short notice and are already showing an effect. However, the greatest lever for reducing delays lies in long-term measures, which unfortunately sometimes take many years before they can be implemented. This includes, among other things, the unbundling of flight routes (e.g. Start South Straight at Bise).
Reducing delays is a high priority for us and our partners. The delays are a major nuisance for the airport partners and residents. This makes it all the more important that long-term measures helping to reduce delays are no longer blocked - but consistently pushed forward and that the already tight framework conditions and the operating hours from 06:00 - 23:30 at the airport are maintained.
Well-attended August 1 brunch & live broadcasts
The airport was not only popular with departing and arriving passengers during the summer holidays. but also welcomed those staying at home and spending their summer holidays locally. Over 40,000 people visited the observation decks during the summer holidays and the brunch at the Air restaurant on 1 August was fully booked. The Ranger Talks were also well attended and the Globi visit on the observation deck created great interest, especially among the youngest fans. The live broadcast of the European Football Championship on the Circle main square also attracted a large audience.
