Zurich cantonal parliament approves runway extension
The Zurich cantonal parliament has approved the extension of the runways at Zurich Airport with a narrow conservative majority. In doing so, the airport aims to increase the safety of air traffic. The Zurich Chamber of Commerce welcomes the decision. The electorate is likely to have the final say.
Flughafen Zürich AG wants to extend Runway 28 by 400 metres to the west and Runway 32 by 280 metres to the north. With this project, the airport wants to implement the conclusions of the 2012 safety review of Zurich Airport(SÜFZ) by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation. The extension of the runways is intended to increase the stability of air traffic in all weather conditions and for all types of aircraft.
According to a press release, the Zurich Cantonal Council approved the extension on 28 August with a narrow majority of 87 to 83 votes, with two abstentions. The SVP, FDP, Mitte and EVP voted in favour of the proposal, while the other parties rejected it.
Zurich Airport is pleased with the decision, as it writes in a statement. The longer runways would increase braking distances and reduce crossing points on the ground and in the air. More stable operations would reduce the number of delays as well as those affected by aircraft noise. “There are no alternative measures in flight operations that would bring the same improvements in terms of safety and reduction of delays,” the statement says. The number of flight movements, on the other hand, would remain the same.
The Zurich Chamber of Commerce(ZHK) also welcomes the decision of the cantonal council. “Zurich Airport is of great economic importance for the greater Zurich area and for the entire country,” it writes in a statement. “To ensure Zurich’s international connectivity with the world in the long term, the airport must be able to adapt to changing circumstances.” ZHK Director Regine Sauter had already campaigned in advance for approval by the cantonal parliament. “The runway extensions bring multiple benefits: Residents benefit from more peace and quiet at night, and Zurich as a business location can count on a punctual airport and reliable connections to the world in the long term,” she is now quoted as saying in the ZHK release.
The cantonal council’s decision is subject to an optional referendum, so the electorate is likely to have the final say. Only then can the airport submit an application for planning permission to the federal government.