ENAIRE managed 150,000 flights in July, only 32% fewer than in 2019

ENAIRE managed nearly 150,000 flights in July (149,670), which is just 32.2% fewer than in the same month in 2019, the baseline year for data comparisons, since traffic in 2020 fell to minimal levels as a result of COVID-19.

In the previous month, June, 98,765 flights were managed, and the fall compared to the same month in 2019 was 52.0%, which means that the monthly drop in July was 20 percentage points lower.

This recovery in the number of flights in Spain is higher than that recorded throughout Europe, which saw a decrease in July of 34.9% with respect to July 2019.

This trend, with Spain leading the way in the recovery of the number of flights, held for the first week of August, where the fall was 26% compared to the same week in 2019.

A comparison between the flights managed by ENAIRE in July 2021 and those in the same period in 2020 shows an increase of 84.0%.

Domestic flights (37,479) exhibited the best trend, with a drop of 9.2% compared to the same month in 2019. International flights (81,557) went down by 38.9% compared to two years ago, and overflights (those that do not depart from or land at a Spanish airport) fell by 33.5% to 30,634.

Every ENAIRE control centre reported traffic drops in July compared to the same month in 2019: Palma, 15.5%; Seville, 16.0%; Canary Islands, 27.3%; Barcelona, 29.8% and Madrid, 35.6%.

Data from January to July

In the first seven months of the year, ENAIRE managed nearly half a million flights (490,566), 60.4% fewer than in the same period in 2019, of which 237,642 were international (-66.9%), 152,154 domestic (-39.6%) and 100,770 overflights (-62.4%).

A comparison between the flights managed by ENAIRE between June and July of 2021 and those in the same period in 2020 reveals very similar figures, with a reduction of 1.3%.

So far this year, 48% of all flights have been international (from January to June it was 46%), 31% domestic and 21% overflights.

Recovery plan

ENAIRE is implementing a Recovery Plan for Air Navigation Services based on the forecasts being received from the European Network Manager. In full cooperation with EUROCONTROL, ENAIRE is working to standardise operational criteria in preparation for returning to pre-pandemic flight levels.

The Plan provides for a recovery of air traffic control operations in stages, based on the expected demand and scheduling criteria, and the efficient use of the available resources.

ENAIRE lowers its charges to help the sector

ENAIRE has again drastically reduced its air navigation charges in 2021 to speed the recovery of the aviation sector.

Of the 38 countries in EUROCONTROL, Spain, through ENAIRE, is the one that is lowering its route charges the most in 2021, around 8% below the average charge.

ENAIRE reduced its continental route charge in 2020 (-16.7%) and 2021 (-11%) by 26%, and in the Canary Islands (-12.5% /-8.5%, respectively) by 20%, thus helping the aviation sector to recover from the crisis brought about by the pandemic.

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 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, iTEC, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).

ENAIRE is the official provider of aeronautical information in Spain.