Zurich Airport: Dispute over increasing aircraft noise

Some residential areas in the canton of Aargau are suffering more and more from aircraft noise from Zurich Airport. The canton is now making demands that the neighboring German districts are unlikely to like.

There has been a dispute over aircraft noise at Zurich Airport near the border for years. Now the neighboring canton of Aargau has also gotten involved. It is located in the approach and departure path of aircraft and is suffering more and more from the noise. This is also shown by the latest figures on noise pollution.

The canton is now demanding that the Swiss federal government expand Zurich Airport more quickly. In addition, the airport is to have a new concept that regulates arrival and departure routes. But that is controversial. The state and the districts on the border fear that more heavy machines could set off towards the Lake Constance area and the High Rhine.

Airplane noise: After Zurich, the canton of Aargau suffers the most

The latest figures on noise pollution show: In Switzerland, after Zurich, the neighboring canton of Aargau is most affected by aircraft noise. In some Aargau residential areas, the limit values ​​are now even exceeded at night. This is due to the increased number of flights and delays. Accordingly, 1,682 aircraft took off at night in 2019, compared to 2,049 last year. Landings between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. also increased to almost double. The canton referred to this in a statement to the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation.

The airport knows the problems. A spokeswoman explains the delays to Swiss television with a lack of staff. In addition, international air traffic is tense. The war in Ukraine and the Middle East is leading to airspace closures. More and more aircraft would fly over Central Europe and Switzerland.

Years of dispute over Zurich Airport

In March of this year, the residents of the canton of Zurich voted in a referendum to expand the runways at the airport. The German districts on the border are afraid that this will mean more aircraft movements and more noise. They fear that even more heavy aircraft could take off towards Lake Constance. In the past, politicians in the neighboring German districts of Waldshut, Konstanz and Schwarzwald-Baar have repeatedly called for a state treaty to limit aircraft noise.