Zurich Airport issued a passenger advisory on 22 September 2026 under the headline “Bereit zum Abflug – weniger Wartezeiten, mehr Komfort”. The notice confirms that all security lanes are now equipped with next-generation computed-tomography (CT) scanners, allowing liquids up to two litres and laptops to remain in cabin bags. The upgrade aligns Switzerland with similar deployments at Amsterdam-Schiphol and London-Heathrow and is expected to shorten security queues during the coming ski season. More significantly for cross-border travellers, the airport warns of possible bottlenecks at passport control as the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) enters its final testing phase. From early 2027, third-country nationals will have fingerprints and facial images captured on first entry into the Schengen area. Zurich Airport is installing additional e-gates and recommends Swiss, EU and EFTA citizens use automated lanes whenever possible. While the EES obligation formally comes from Brussels, Switzerland must implement it as part of the Schengen acquis. Federal Police (fedpol) insiders say training of border-guard staff started this month and a public information campaign will follow in October. Airlines operating long-haul services from Zurich are updating minimum connection-time calculations; Swiss International Air Lines has already added ten minutes to winter schedules for non-Schengen transfers. For mobility managers the message is two-fold. First, advise visiting executives to allow extra time at immigration throughout Q1 2027, especially if they hold US, UK or Asian passports that will need first-time biometric enrolment. Second, review hand-baggage policies on corporate rates: the CT scanners relax liquid limits locally, but connecting airports may still apply the 100 ml rule, so standardise guidance across travel hubs. The airport’s security chief Rolf Blöchliger cautions that unattended luggage fines are rising and that power-banks exceeding 100 Wh remain prohibited. Frequent flyers should adjust packing habits now to avoid delays once peak Christmas traffic arrives.
Source: Flughafen Zürich
