ZRH spotting -- ZRH Observation Deck

ZRH is a spotter's heaven. The observation deck on top of Terminal E opens from 7:45 to 20:00 during the summer. You simply walk out of the terminal and follow the sign to a small house besides the airport parking lot, pay CHF2, go thru an x-ray scan and you are into the waiting area. The bus runs from there every 1/2 hour to Terminal E. Terminal E is dedicate to long haul flights. Part of the 3rd floor are the lounges of the airlines. The other part is the observation deck. By noon the deck was full of people. There are some playground toys for the kids, so many families go there. When I was there some of the Swiss boarder police officers were having lunch and enjoy the sun there. It's a very peaceful (except the noise) place. The observation deck is best from morning to early afternoon. It has clear view of RWY 16/34 and 8/26. When I was there they were primarily landing on 14 and taking off on 16 and 26. Terminal E was a busy place in the morning with all the LX long haul, AA, DL, CO and US 767s, plus BA, EasyJet and some Turkish airlines. LX's European flights plus most of other European airlines use Terminal A and B.

Onto the pictures:
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TG has a daily flight to ZRH using A-346. It's towed to the remote parking stand until 11:30 or so, when it returns to Terminal E to for returning trip to BKK. This is shot from the parking lot building.
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The Zurich Shopping special scheme again
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The most exotic airliner I saw in ZRH -- A319 of Armenian airline Armavia.
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Awesome!!! Great shots - can't wait to go through ZRH in July/August. We'll be on LX long haul - I'm guessing that is Terminal E - I wonder if I have to go out through immigration to get to the observation deck - or if it's open to the LX transit passengers - anyone have an idea?

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Originally Posted by MarkLawrence

out through immigration to get to the observation deck - or if it's open to the LX transit passengers - anyone have an idea?

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You have to go through immigration and pass the main terminal to take a bus to go back to terminal E to be able to go onto the observation deck

ZRH is great, spotted their twice way back in the 90's, when most of the then Swissair long haul fleet was 743's and MD-11's. Not sure if they still operate the Bus Ramp Tour operated in conjunction with the obervation deck, it was awesome. They actually had a fenced in area right at the intersection of the 2 of the 3 main runways, where the bus stopped and you where let out for around 20 mins, so awesome. Though their are bigger, busier airports to spot at in Europe, ZRH is one of the best, especially if you are passing thru without a car.

For anyone who has never seen this is a great HD 23 min movie of ZRH originally posted on here a few months ago, very well done. If you view their also several links to some other ZRH video's that are also pretty awesome !

http://www.vimeo.com/8696437

Cheers

LGA777

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Originally Posted by LGA777

Not sure if they still operate the Bus Ramp Tour operated in conjunction with the obervation deck, it was awesome. They actually had a fenced in area right at the intersection of the 2 of the 3 main runways, where the bus stopped and you where let out for around 20 mins, so awesome.

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Yup, the tours still operate Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday - they're called "rundfahten" :lol: The stop in between the runways and the taxiway is totally awesome if its timed during some heavy departures as its at about the ideal spot for rotations.

http://www.zurich-airport.com/desktopde ... tabid-213/

Andy

My 7 hour lay-over in ZHR this August just got MUCH better! Thanks for sharing!

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Originally Posted by cowens727

My 7 hour lay-over in ZHR this August just got MUCH better! Thanks for sharing!

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Ditto!!!..I have the same kind of layover...

Love the Darwin "Sweedish Love Machine" and all the Avro stuff. I want to get to ZRH in the near future.

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Originally Posted by MarkLawrence

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Originally Posted by cowens727

My 7 hour lay-over in ZHR this August just got MUCH better! Thanks for sharing!

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Ditto!!!..I have the same kind of layover...

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I'm off to Prague this summer on a DL B757 JFK-ZHR (then connecting to an OK B737)...hey, airfare and hotel for Prague in mid-august at $950 pp, I'll take it! It seems odd though that you would have to go out from terminal E to get back there to go to the observation deck..does DL have gates at terminal E?

Indeed, you have to enter Switzerland to go to take the bus to go to the observation deck on top of terminal E. When I first flew into ZRH, the plane parked at Terminal E. I tried to find a way to go to the observation deck inside Terminal E but couldn't find any. The arrival level of the Terminal E only has corridors; and view to the outside is thru 2 layers of glass separated by corridors. You have to take a train to Terminal A, where you have the custom and baggage claim. Once pass thru the custom, you are then outside and can follow the signs to the bus stop to go back to observation deck. So make sure you are legally allowed to enter Switzerland.

I suppose if you are transit passenger you will basically move to the departure level of Terminal E. It's basically 1 level below the observation deck. So you will get some view thru the glass and the gates might block views. It might be a compromise for you if your passport doesn't allow you to enter Switzerland. All US airlines park at Terminal E.

Just another note is security is tight around the bus stop. When you get off the bus at the end of your visit, you will enter into a enclosed area. When everyone from the bus is in this area, they will close the door to the air side, then open the other door that opens to the terminal side. I suppose this is to prevent from unauthorised people from rushing into the secured area.

Anyways, hope you can legally enter Switzerland, then you will be able to enjoy the observation deck.