Flight movements – Operating hours, concepts and routes

Data and information on operating hours, operating concepts and flight routes at Zurich Airport.

Current runway concept

Operating concepts

At Zurich Airport, flight safety has the highest priority. For this reason, the principle of “best use of equipment” applies: the safest runway is always chosen for take offs and landings. Political requirements are considered afterwards. Whenever possible, aircraft take off and land against the wind.

Runways at Zurich Airport

Zurich Airport has three runways: 14/32, 16/34 and 10/28. The numbers indicate their orientation in degrees, rounded to the nearest ten degrees. For example, runway 14/32 points towards 140 degrees (southeast) and 320 degrees (northwest). This variety allows for safe flight operations under different wind directions and weather conditions.

Operating concepts

The airport operating regulations specify how the runways are used:

  • Morning: landings on runway 34; take offs from runway 32 or 34, or from runway 28
  • Daytime: landings on runway 14 or 16; take offs from runway 16 or 28
  • Evening: landings on runway 28; take offs from runway 32 or 34

The three operating concepts in detail

Southern Approach Concept

Arrivals

  • From the south on Runway 34

Departures

  • To the north on Runway 32 or 34
  • Partly to the west on Runway 28

General application & operating hours

  • Monday to Friday: 06:00 – 07:00
  •  Saturday, Sunday and public holidays in Baden Württemberg: 06:00 – 09:00

Note

In the early morning, approaches from the north are not permitted due to an agreement with Germany:

  • Before 07:00 on weekdays and before 09:00 on weekends and public holidays in southern Germany, aircraft may overfly German airspace only at high altitude: at least Flight Level 120 (approx. 12,000 ft = 3,600 metres).
  • This means aircraft must have crossed the German border by 07:00 or 09:00 respectively. When the last aircraft movement crosses the border at 07:00 or 09:00, the remaining flight time to Zurich Airport is about 8 minutes. Consequently, the last southern approaches occur at approximately 07:08 or 09:08.

Do you have any questions?

The staff of the Aircraft Noise Hotline will be happy to help you.

  • +41 43 816 21 31
  • Kontaktformular / Contact Form

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