ENAIRE recovered 94% of flights in September compared to the record levels of 2019

The trend in air traffic puts the number of flights managed by ENAIRE throughout Spain at levels very close to those prior to the pandemic. ENAIRE managed over 191,000 flights (191,069) in September, which is just 6.1% below the average for the entire network for the same month in 2019, a record year for traffic before the effects of COVID took hold in 2020.

The recovery of air traffic in Spain exceeded the European average by seven percentage points This figure means that ENAIRE, the national air navigation service provider, recovered 94% (93.9%) of flights in September compared to 2019 levels.

In September 2022, domestic traffic (37,918 flights) recovered 98.9% compared to the same month in 2019, international flights recovered to 90.2% (110,706), and overflights (those that do not depart from or land at a Spanish airport) rose by 0.2% (42,445).

This recovery in September in the number of flights in Spain was seven percentage points higher than the average recorded throughout Europe, which saw a decrease of 13.1% with respect to 2019.

Trend by control centre

There was a notable increase in the number of flights managed by the Seville control centre in September, 40,124 (4.3% more than in the same month in 2019), marking the sixth consecutive monthly increase.

In the Palma Control Centre, the number of consecutive monthly increases now stands at seven, with 40,256 flights managed in September, 0.9% more than in the same month in 2019.

International flights in the Canary Islands, 12,148, grew 1.3% in September over 2019 levels. The total number of flights managed in the Canary Islands was 28,010, 0.9% less.

The number of domestic flights managed by the Barcelona Control Centre, 17,037, rose 4.1%. The total number of flights was 96,056 (-3.9%).

The Madrid Control Centre handled nearly 100,000 flights (99,227), 6.2% less than in September 2019.

A comparison between the flights managed by ENAIRE in September 2022 and those in the same period in 2021 reveals an increase of 30% (29.8%).

Cumulative data for 2022

In the first nine months of the year, ENAIRE managed nearly 1.5 million flights (1,495,446), 10.0% fewer than in the same period in 2019, of which 859,423 were international (-11.8%), 312,240 were domestic (-5.3%) and 323,783 were overflights (-9.3%).

A comparison of the flights managed by ENAIRE from January to September with those for the same period in 2021 shows an increase of 87.0%.

Summary of 2022 Summer Plan

As part of its 2022 Summer Plan, through 30 September, ENAIRE implemented a series of technical and operational initiatives and measures across its entire network, and specific in each of the regions, to allow it to deal with the high season under the best conditions to manage traffic peaks that are already exceeding those of 2019, while maintaining the highest levels of safety at all times.  

In addition to the technical and operational measures, the Summer Plan included increasing the number of controllers.

About ENAIRE

ENAIRE is the air navigation service provider in Spain.

As a company of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and the Urban Agenda, it provides en route control services for all flights and overflights from five control centres in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Gran Canaria and Palma, as well as approach services to every airport in the country.

In addition, 45 control towers receive ENAIRE's communication, navigation and surveillance services, and 21 airports, including the country's busiest, rely on its aerodrome control services.

ENAIRE is Europe's fourth largest air traffic manager. Since 1 January 2022, it has chaired the A6 Alliance, a coalition of air navigation providers responsible for over 80% of European air traffic, and which is seeking to modernise the air traffic management system. It is also a member of other international alliances promoting the Single European sky, such as SESAR Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, iTEC, CANSO and ICAO.

ENAIRE, as the agency appointed by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda to implement the U-space system in Spain, will be the provider of the Common Information Services (CIS), which are essential for administering U-space services to drones and Urban Air Mobility, in interaction with local air traffic control services, so that all types of aircraft can fly safely in the same airspace.

ENAIRE has received the highest score in Europe on the aviation safety key performance indicator. It has also been awarded the EFQM 500 Seal for its safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable management of air navigation services.