Winter operation –safety in snow and ice

Winter weather (especially snow and frost) is a major challenge for all partners at Zurich Airport. In order to maintain smooth operations, a cooperative partnership has developed at the airport.

The Snow Committee and the Deicing Coordination units control and monitor all processes relating to winter operations and aircraft deicing. Although Flughafen Zurich AG coordinates the management and holds responsibility, it is a service which is determined by close cooperation with a wide variety of partners, such as handling agents (Swissport, dnata, AAS Jet Aviation, Execujet, cat airservice, SWISS PRIVILEGE AVIATION), airlines (incl. SWISS, Edelweiss, helvetic, Chair and REGA), Skyguide, SR Technics, MeteoSchweiz, FOCA and the airport.

At Flughafen Zürich AG, the responsibility falls to the Head of Deicing Coordination, located within Airport Steering. Deicing Coordination is the central hub for the deicing process. 

Flughafen Zürich AG's Airport Authority is responsible for ensuring that runways, taxiways and aprons are cleared promptly, and for measuring and reporting.

The Winter Operation section of the Airfield Maintenance department at Flughafen Zürich AG is responsible for clearing snow and deicing all areas used for flight operations (runways, taxiways, stands and apron areas). This also includes all roads and parking facilities both airside and landside for which Flughafen Zürich AG is responsible, as well as making aircraft deicing equipment available and treating all waste water from deicing operations.

Runway clearing during operating hours is coordinated by Flughafen Zürich AG's Winter Operation Coordinator with all other parties involved. The Coordinator also leads the Snow Committee telephone conferences.