New CT scanner installation causing long wait times at Zurich Airport

Zurich Airport has begun installing 24 new CT scanners at security. While the new technology should improve efficiency in the long run, the current renovation has caused longer waiting times and queues for many travellers.

CT scanner installation causes chaos at Zurich Airport security

After successfully installing two CT scanners at security in autumn 2024, Zurich Airport is now adding 24 additional CT scanners to its offering. The new technology means passengers will no longer have to remove items such as liquids and laptops from hand luggage at security. The 100ml liquid limit is also set to be phased out.

Floor zero of the airport’s security is out of operation while the new CT scanners are being installed. This is causing “capacity bottlenecks” and resulting in longer queues and waiting times, reports Blick. 

The delays at security are also having a knock-on effect on other services at the airport, such as the train to E gates. “Inside the carriage, it's cramped and stuffy,” said one Blick reader. "I've flown hundreds of times [and] I've never experienced anything like this before.”

Wait times at Zurich Airport to improve in the run-up to Christmas

Switzerland’s largest airport advises that passengers arrive for their flight with plenty of time to spare. The recommended amount of time to arrive before flights within the Schengen Area is two hours. Outside of the Schengen Area, two to three hours is recommended.

"We currently expect to be able to put level zero back into operation in the next few weeks – then with the new CT scanners," says the airport’s media spokesperson Jasmin Bodmer-Breu. This “should calm down” the situation, continues Blick.