The Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) has formally updated its passenger guidance page to reflect a landmark change at Zurich Airport: travellers screened in lanes equipped with new computed-tomography (CT) scanners may now carry a single container of liquids, aerosols or gels of up to two litres in cabin baggage—twenty times the long-standing 100 ml rule. The notice, posted on 29 June 2026 and back-dated to the rule’s effective date of 26 June, consolidates information previously published by the airport and provides nationwide regulatory clarity. The shift follows a CHF 50 million investment programme that began in late 2025 to retrofit all 26 primary security lanes with next-generation CT scanners capable of generating three-dimensional, high-resolution imagery. Unlike legacy x-ray units, the new system can distinguish benign liquids—such as bottled water or perfume—from threat materials without requiring the items to be removed from baggage. Practically, the change offers significant time savings. Zurich Airport estimates that the average passenger divest time per tray has fallen from 14 seconds to under seven, translating into a 20 – 25 percent increase in lane throughput during morning peaks.
![FOCA Confirms 2-Litre Hand-Luggage Liquid Limit Now in Force at Zurich]()
If you’re coordinating travel to or through Switzerland, VisaHQ can also simplify the process of securing any necessary visas and travel documents. Its dedicated Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) lets individuals and corporate travel planners check entry requirements, submit online applications, and receive timely alerts—including updates on airport security changes like Zurich’s new two-litre allowance—so that paperwork and policies stay aligned.
Business travellers connecting to tight onward rail services to Basel or Bern stand to benefit the most. Important caveats remain. Transfer passengers who land at Zurich and proceed to a non-Schengen onward flight still pass through a separate checkpoint that has not yet been upgraded; the 100 ml/1 L-bag limit therefore continues to apply. Similarly, Geneva Airport will not complete its CT roll-out until early 2027, and regional airports such as Lugano-Agno have no plans to adopt the technology. FOCA therefore urges travellers on multi-leg itineraries to respect the lowest common denominator. Companies should update pre-trip briefings and in-house travel-policy documents to reflect the dual-standard environment and to ensure that employees do not inadvertently purchase oversized duty-free liquids before a transfer sector that still enforces the 100 ml rule.
If you’re coordinating travel to or through Switzerland, VisaHQ can also simplify the process of securing any necessary visas and travel documents. Its dedicated Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) lets individuals and corporate travel planners check entry requirements, submit online applications, and receive timely alerts—including updates on airport security changes like Zurich’s new two-litre allowance—so that paperwork and policies stay aligned.
Business travellers connecting to tight onward rail services to Basel or Bern stand to benefit the most. Important caveats remain. Transfer passengers who land at Zurich and proceed to a non-Schengen onward flight still pass through a separate checkpoint that has not yet been upgraded; the 100 ml/1 L-bag limit therefore continues to apply. Similarly, Geneva Airport will not complete its CT roll-out until early 2027, and regional airports such as Lugano-Agno have no plans to adopt the technology. FOCA therefore urges travellers on multi-leg itineraries to respect the lowest common denominator. Companies should update pre-trip briefings and in-house travel-policy documents to reflect the dual-standard environment and to ensure that employees do not inadvertently purchase oversized duty-free liquids before a transfer sector that still enforces the 100 ml rule.
