• Following a record-breaking 2025 for flight numbers, all forecasts and the 4.7% increase recorded in June point to a further rise of more than 3% in air traffic in Spain in 2026
• Among other measures, the plan includes greater flexibility in air traffic demand management, improved coordination during adverse weather events, and stronger civil-military coordination and coordination with EUROCONTROL’s Network Manager
• It also includes improvements to air traffic management support systems and a reinforcement of air traffic controller staffing across all regions, with 79 newly certified controllers
ENAIRE will implement more than 70 technical, operational, airspace and staffing measures to manage the increase in air traffic expected this summer season, while maintaining the highest standards of safety, efficiency and sustainability.
These measures form part of the Summer Plan 2026–2027 and have been designed to improve air navigation management during peak traffic periods. They also fall within ENAIRE’s strategic plan, Flight Plan 2030.
Most of the measures in the Summer Plan 2026–2027 are aimed at strengthening safety (up to 28 measures), improving service quality and reducing delays (up to 60 measures), as well as supporting sustainability, efficiency and regulatory compliance, among other goals.
The plan also includes measures whose implementation will take longer and which will help strengthen the capacity of the air navigation system over the coming years.
Coordination with the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, airlines, airports, AEMET and EUROCONTROL is one of the key pillars of the plan.
Preparing for continued growth in air traffic
Last year, ENAIRE handled 2.47 million flights, up 4.7% on 2024 and almost 15% on 2019, the pre-pandemic reference year. This increase in operations was particularly noticeable during the summer season, when ENAIRE handled more than 8,000 flights on as many as 13 days. Forecasts for 2026 point to a further annual increase of more than 3% in air traffic in Spain. A particularly significant indicator is that traffic handled in May and June rose by 4.6% and 4.7% respectively compared with 2025.
In response to expectations of sustained growth in air traffic, ENAIRE has identified a number of priorities: strengthening staffing levels, increasing and improving the management of air traffic control capacity, optimising the use of airspace, introducing a range of system improvements, and managing complex situations such as adverse weather more efficiently.
In terms of staffing, one notable development is that this summer there will be 79 more certified air traffic controllers than in summer 2025. Together with the other measures, this increase in staffing will help ENAIRE maintain the highest levels of operational safety, improve service quality and strengthen the environmental sustainability of air transport.
Airspace
One of the key measures to improve airspace management is the development and implementation of ENAIRE’s PBN (Performance-Based Navigation) Plan. Its aim is to modernise Spanish airspace by gradually replacing navigation based on conventional radio aids with satellite-based procedures that are more accurate, efficient and sustainable.
Performance-based satellite navigation allows aircraft to fly more direct and efficient routes using satellite navigation systems. This capability is already used for departures and approach operations at airports such as Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández, Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza—among the busiest in the network—and ENAIRE will continue to expand its deployment, as a complement to conventional approach aids and systems, throughout the remainder of this year and into 2027.
Operational measures
Operationally, and in coordination with EUROCONTROL, airlines and airport operators, ENAIRE will introduce greater flexibility in the management of available airspace capacity by using new routings and redistributing demand across different areas of airspace according to their level of availability.
To improve the management of available capacity, ENAIRE will also introduce a new type of flow control measure based on the latest technical enhancements to EUROCONTROL’s systems. This will allow air traffic regulations to be applied more selectively, with less impact on delays, thereby helping to improve efficiency across the network.
ENAIRE will also continue to promote the flexible use of airspace by strengthening civil-military coordination and expanding the use of direct ‘free route’ trajectories in upper airspace. This will reduce reliance on the fixed network of traditional airways and help cut the number of miles flown.
Lastly, to improve coordination and management during periods of adverse weather and reduce the impact on operations as far as possible, ENAIRE will hold meetings with airlines and EUROCONTROL’s Network Manager and, in collaboration with AEMET, will increase the number of forecasters in its Operations Rooms.
Technology
One of the key technology measures, because of its contribution to operational safety, was the introduction in June at the Seville Control Centre of a new feature that provides air traffic controllers with information on potential conflicts based on forecast flight trajectories. This brings Seville into line with the Barcelona and Madrid Control Centres, where this innovative SACTA (Automated Air Traffic Control System) feature was deployed in 2025.
Another important development is the implementation of the ARGOS Project in the oceanic airspace managed by the Canary Islands Control Centre, which will make it possible to reduce separation between flights and increase capacity in oceanic airspace.
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 achieved the highest rating for the key performance indicator regarding air safety at the European level for six consecutive years, securing the maximum possible score of 100%. It has also been awarded the EFQM 600 Seal for its safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable management of air navigation services.