Zurich Airport ends liquid limits as heat strains Swiss systems
Switzerland is modernising travel rules and adjusting infrastructure regulations to cope with record heat and evolving security demands.
Zurich Airport is installing high-tech security scanners that will allow passengers to carry up to two litres of liquids in their hand luggage. The move ends the strict 100ml limit established in 2006. Travellers will no longer need to unpack or show liquid containers at security, a change that should make processing faster and more efficient for airlines and passengers.
The airport upgrade coincides with a record-breaking heatwave straining Swiss infrastructure. In Geneva, authorities are looking into simplifying administrative procedures for installing air conditioning devices. Delphine Bachmann, head of the canton's Energy Department, said the goal within the existing legal framework is "not to open the floodgates, but to make the system more practical."
The environmental and economic toll of the prolonged June heat is evident in the Alps, where Swiss glaciers are losing about 400 cubic metres of water per second. An expert noted that when heat persists for more than two weeks, "the melting is massive, even in the highest peak regions." This volume—equivalent to filling an Olympic-sized swimming pool every six seconds, day and night—signals long-term pressures on water reserves and tourism.
On the political front, parliamentary debates are focusing on measures targeting foreign residents, including proposed 'security' and 'immigration' taxes. Lawmakers are also debating a permit ban for EU citizens with criminal records. These discussions follow the recent ballot box defeat of a far-right push to curb broader EU immigration.
For the domestic property market, financial magazine Bilanz ranked Oberkirch as Switzerland's best community out of 966 municipalities evaluated across 56 criteria. The Lucerne canton town of 5,000 people, located 21 km from Lucerne, led due to its real estate prices, taxes, rental possibilities, and unemployment rates. Reachable in half an hour by train and car, the community boasts direct Lake Sempach access, Alpine views, and "a vibrant community life and a diverse range of sports and cultural activities," according to Bilanz.
Separately, the Federal Council is standardising waste penalties by introducing a national littering fine of up to 250 francs starting August 1st. Previously, fines differed by municipality, typically starting from 100 francs upwards. The council reiterated that "waste should be limited to the bare minimum and, when this is impossible, recycling should be used."
