Residents near Zurich airport have complained about noise emissions and increasing flight traffic for years.
Keystone
Federal aviation authorities have decided to limit the number of time slots for planes at Switzerland’s main airport in Zurich.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch with SDA-ATS; urs
The Federal Office of Civil AviationExternal link said it has ordered a freeze on landings after 9pm and for take-offs after 10:20pm to reduce the noise for residents living near the airport.
An official report from last September found that the noise was sometimes considerably above permitted levels between 10pm and midnight.
Regular monitoring has shown that noise emissions during day times are generally in line with official regulations.
The operators of the airport said they regretted the decision. They warned that such restrictions would limit the possibilities for further development of the airport, notably as a hub for intercontinental flights and connections to other European destinations.
The decision is subject to appeal.
In an ongoing controversy, Switzerland and neighbouring Germany have been trying to reach an agreement over noise emissions for decades. The airport is just 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) south of the German border.
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Wealth is not all: how gentrification in Zurich has led to housing shortage
Swisscom receives greenlight for acquisition of Vodafone Italia
This content was published on
The takeover of Vodafone Italia by Swisscom is nearing completion. All relevant authorities have now approved the €8 billion (CHF7.45 billion) deal.
Novo Nordisk stock market plunge drags down Swiss device maker Ypsomed
This content was published on
The Danish pharmaceutical giant, Novo Nordisk, faced setbacks on Friday that weighed on the share price of Swiss injection device manufacturer Ypsomed.
Swiss press react to EU deal with mix of euphoria and scepticism
This content was published on
Swiss media reaction to the agreement between Switzerland and the EU varies widely. Some are celebrating, while others worry about what is to come.
Swiss Solidarity donations to tackle child abuse top CHF4 million
This content was published on
Swiss Solidarity, the humanitarian arm of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), has raised over CHF4 million ($4.3 million) to tackle child abuse.
EU Commission president says Swiss-EU deal is ‘historic’ agreement
This content was published on
At a joint media conference with Swiss President Viola Amherd in Bern, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke of a "day of joy".
Switzerland and EU reach deal on future bilateral relations
This content was published on
Switzerland and the European Union have announced a political agreement to update their trading relationship after almost a decade of difficult talks.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
German minister stalls airport accord
This content was published on
Peter Ramsauer announced on Monday that Germany still wants to discuss “open questions” not covered by the agreement, which was struck by the two governments in July after five rounds of negotiation. The agreement remains especially controversial in the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg which experiences the most noise from airplanes approaching Zurich. Politicians from…
This content was published on
After five rounds of negotiations, Transport Minister Doris Leuthard said delegations from both countries had agreed on Monday a state treaty concerning flight noise. Flights over southern Germany heading to and from Zurich airport will be affected, with changes set to come into effect after required runway extensions, but at any rate by 2020. Evening…
This content was published on
Despite concerns expressed at the local level, the deal passed with 110 votes in favour and 66 against. Critics complained that it was a bad deal that yielded too much to Germany. The agreement, hammered out last summer by Transport Minister Doris Leuthard and her German counterpart, now awaits ratification by Germany’s parliament. It passed…
This content was published on
In a Zurich cantonal vote on Sunday 58.7 per cent of voters were against plans to block building new runways or extensions at Zurich airport. There was stronger opposition to a counter proposal that would have stopped flights over residential areas, with it rejected by 68.2 per cent of voters. Turnout for the vote was…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.