A strict night-time curfew is in place at Zurich Airport. An absolute ban on flights is in operation between 11:30 p.m. and 06:00 a.m.; the time between 11:00 p.m and 11:30 p.m. may only be used to reduce backlogs of delayed flights.
Each additional extension to the night-time restrictions makes it more difficult for Swiss International Air Lines to maintain its hub at Zurich Airport. A hub is simply a base for short and long-haul traffic that enables connections.
Long-haul connections at the beginning and end of the day are essential because short-haul flights within Europe are aligned to them and must remain competitive in comparison with other airports.
An even longer night-time curfew would lead to the elimination of an increasing number of direct connections, making Zurich Airport less attractive as a traffic centre.
Comparison of curfews:
1 Movements per hour 2 Restrictions on the number of flight movements