Despite intensive negotiations, the 6-month-long airport charges negotiations did not lead to an agreement by the negotiation parties. Flughafen Zürich AG regrets that no agreement was possible. The company has always committed itself to reach an agreement and offered a final negotiation proposal providing a very moderate increase of airport charges. The airport operator will now submit an airport charges proposal according to the regulatory framework to the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA).

For the first time, negotiations over airport charges were conducted at Zurich Airport in accordance with the new Ordinance on Airport Charges. Regrettably, no unanimous agreement was reached by the involved parties within the maximum negotiation period. Flughafen Zürich AG sincerely regrets that the negotiations did not lead to an agreement despite of a final negotiation proposal which provided a very moderate increase of airport charges. Tariffs proposed by Flughafen Zürich AG during negotiations were overall clearly below the two-digit number percentage that has been incorrectly mentioned throughout the media. The proposed tariff adjustments of the final negotiation proposal were within a low single-digit percentage. The last increase of the passenger charge was on September 1, 2003.

The negotiations were initiated on February 25, 2013, and extended by the maximum of two months on June 24th, 2013, on demand of all negotiation parties. The parties involved were Swiss International Air Lines Ltd., Air Berlin & Co. Luftverkehrs KG, representatives of commercial airlines, general aviation and business aviation as well as representatives of the forwarding industry. The negotiations were conducted under the permanent observation of the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA).

Flughafen Zürich AG will now submit an Airport Charges proposal for an examination and approval to FOCA. A decision by FOCA is not expected before October 2013.