The number of flights managed by ENAIRE in the first ten months of the year fell by nearly 60% due to the effects of COVID-19

ENAIRE managed 748,593 flights in the first ten months of the year, 59.6% less than in the same period last year. This drop in air traffic, which is affecting not only Spain but Europe as a whole, was caused by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Domestic flights (198,099) are faring the best for the year as a whole, with a decrease of 46.1%. International flights fell by 64.4% to 386,924, and overflights (those that do not depart from or land at a Spanish airport) fell by 58.9% to 163,570.

The distribution by type of flight is 52% international, 26% domestic and 22% overflights.

The effects of the pandemic have had an impact on the traffic managed by ENAIRE, Spain's air navigation manager, as detailed in the map below:

The Madrid Control Centre managed the most flights through October: 417,052. The Barcelona Control Centre, which in July and August managed the most flights in Spain, reported a figure of 320,338 flights managed in the first nine months.

All ENAIRE control centres reported drops in traffic from 1 January to 31 October, with the Canary Islands, Seville and Madrid centres reporting the lowest decreases.

October data

ENAIRE managed 66,622 flights in October, 65.3% less than in the same month last year. There were 28,830 (-74.7%) international flights, 21,455 (-42.7%) domestic flights, and 16,337 (-59.9%) overflights.

Recovery plan for air navigation services

ENAIRE is executing a plan to recover air navigation services based on traffic recovery forecasts received from the Manager of the European Network, and in full cooperation with said European agency, in order to standardise operational criteria with a view to returning to pre-pandemic flight levels and that also considers health promotion and service continuity criteria.

This Plan provides for a recovery of air traffic control operations in stages based on the expected demand and scheduling criteria in order to efficiently use the available resources.

Delayed collection of route charges from airlines

Mindful of the historically exceptional nature of the current situation, ENAIRE is exercising responsibility and solidarity by deferring the collection of the route fees it charges airlines until November.

About ENAIRE

ENAIRE is the company of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda that manages air navigation in Spain. It renders aerodrome control services at 21 airports, including the busiest in terms of air traffic, plus en-route and approach control, from five control centres: Barcelona, Madrid, Gran Canaria, Palma and Seville. In addition, ENAIRE provides communications, navigation and surveillance services to 45 air control towers.

In 2019, ENAIRE handled 2.1 million flights to and from four continents (Europe, America, Asia and Africa), transporting 320 million passengers.

ENAIRE is the fourth most important European air navigation service provider, and, in a clear commitment to the Single Sky initiative, belongs to international partnerships such as SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, A6 Alliance, iTEC, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).