Zurich Airport switches to new baggage sorting system
Flughafen Zürich AG has been working on a new baggage sorting facility since 2017. Currently the largest construction project at the airport, it is being implemented largely underground and during ongoing operations. Now, the transition from the old to the new facility is being carried out step by step.
After extensive tests and continuous adjustments, the so-called transition phase for the baggage sorting system begins on November 6. The system transports and sorts the baggage of all departing passengers and assigns it to the respective flight. With the integration of the new system, the old baggage sorting system at Zurich Airport will be gradually scaled back. After several months of intensive preparations for the transition, it is now ready for use in operations. To ensure that the switch runs as smoothly as possible, Flughafen Zürich AG has taken various measures. For example, more staff will be deployed during the transition to monitor neuralgic points on site. The new baggage sorting system became necessary because the old system has reached the end of its life cycle. With the new system, Zurich Airport is ensuring that baggage allocation will continue to function reliably in the future. In addition, there are new EU regulations on the security screening of checked baggage. The new infrastructure at Zurich Airport, which cost around CHF 400 million, will be in operation for 20 to 25 years. It is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and has significantly better energy efficiency than its predecessor.
Major construction site underground
By the end of January 2024, the baggage sorting will have been converted to the point where 100% of checked baggage at Zurich Airport is checked in accordance with the new EU regulations. In the fall of 2024 the systems to and at Dock E will be replaced. The complete replacement of the old facility is expected to take until 2026, with the final conversions completed by 2027. In total, the new baggage sorting system covers approximately 25 kilometers of conveyor line. It is driven by 5500 motors and monitored by 5600 sensors. On average, around 30,000 pieces of baggage pass through the baggage sorting system at Zurich Airport every day.
Image gallery: New baggage sorting system with CT scanners according to EU guidelines
Pictures can be downloaded by clicking on them (copyright “Flughafen Zürich AG”)
More information and video on the new baggage sorting facility.