The Secretary of State for Transport and Sustainable Mobility highlights the progress made in decarbonising the aviation sector

The Secretary of State for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, José Antonio Santano, highlighted the Spanish aviation sector’s commitment to sustainability and the progress already made in promoting its decarbonisation at the 4th Sustainable Aviation Forum:The New Era of Sustainability, organised by the newspaper El Economista.

Enrique Maurer, CEO of ENAIRE: “During the three record months of the summer season, we achieved higher quality, safety and sustainability standards, despite managing a record number of flights compared to 2024”

Santano closed a day of debate and analysis on the challenges facing the aviation sector in terms of sustainability, which brought together executives from leading companies and organisations within Spain’s aviation industry.  

During his address, the Secretary of State for Transport and Sustainable Mobility stressed the key role that the Sustainable Mobility Act will play in decarbonising the sector, “as it will provide access to 10 billion euros in European funds”.

“The aviation sector has already embarked on a profound transformation aimed at achieving climate neutrality and decarbonisation”, Santano noted, citing as an example the operational and air traffic management improvements promoted by ENAIRE, including more direct routes that enhance the sustainability of the aviation sector.

“In the first eight months of 2025, with a record number of flights managed, the measures implemented by ENAIRE in coordination with other stakeholders have made it possible to optimise air navigation in Spain, avoiding over 230,000 kilometres of unnecessary flights — equivalent to 5.7 trips around the Earth — preventing the emission of 4,300 tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere, and saving 1,360 tonnes of fuel compared with the same period in 2024”, he explained.

The forum featured two panel discussions, one on “Air Traffic Management Amid Record Passenger Numbers”, with participation from ENAIRE, Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas and Volotea, and another on “The Major Challenges of Future Aviation”, with representatives from Globant, Exolum, Airbus Spain, Repsol and Moeve.

In the first panel, ENAIRE’s CEO, Enrique Maurer, emphasised the company’s improved quality, safety and sustainability performance in a context of record air traffic management.

“Spain has led the recovery of air traffic in Europe, outperforming the continental average by 14.3 percentage points, while reducing air traffic control-related delays by 13.6% in June, July and August compared with the same period in 2024”, said Maurer, who attributed these achievements “to the daily commitment of ENAIRE’s air traffic controllers and its technical and administrative staff“.

About ENAIRE

ENAIRE is the air navigation service provider in Spain.

As a company of the Ministry of Sustainable Transport and Mobility, it provides air traffic control services during the en route and approach phases of all flights to and from Spain and overflights. In addition, it manages communications, navigation and surveillance services from ENAIRE in the airspace and the entire AENA airport network in Spain and provides aerodrome air traffic control services in 21 airports, including the busiest.

ENAIRE is the fourth largest European air navigation service provider, and it is a member of international partnerships A6 Alliance, SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, iTEC, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and collaborates closely with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).

ENAIRE has received the highest score in Europe on the aviation safety key performance indicator for four years in a row. It has also been awarded the EFQM 600 Seal for its safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable management of air navigation services.