Annual Monitoring Report 2023 - Spain
Contextual information
National performance plan adopted following Commission Decision (EU) 2022/776 of 13 April 2022
List of ACCs 5
Barcelona ACC
Madrid ACC
Palma ACC
Sevilla ACC
Canarias ACC
No of airports in the scope of the performance plan
≥80’K 6
<80’K 1
Exchange rate (1 EUR=)
2017: 1 EUR
2023: 1 EUR
Share of Union-wide traffic (TSUs) 2023 10.2%
Share of Union-wide en route costs 2023 11.6%
Share en route / terminal costs 2023 88% / 12%
En route charging zone(s)
Spain Continental
Spain Canarias
Terminal charging zone(s)
Spain
Main ANSP
• ENAIRE
Other ANSPs
• FERRONATS
• ANSP EA
MET Providers
• AEMET
Traffic (En route traffic zone)
▪ Spain recorded 2,194K actual IFR movements in 2023, +11% compared to 2022 (1,984K).
▪ Actual 2023 IFR movements were +13% above the plan (1,940K).
▪ Actual 2023 IFR movements are +2% above the actual 2019 level (2,152K).
▪ Spain recorded 14,442K actual en route service units in 2023, +12% compared to 2022 (12,868K).
▪ Actual 2023 service units were +9% above the plan (13,248K).
▪ Actual 2023 service units are +7% above the actual 2019 level (13,439K).
Safety (Main ANSP)
▪ ENAIRE has already exceeded the RP3 EoSM targets in 2020 and remained on or above the targets since then. ENAIRE implemented continuous monitoring process to ensure maintaining high safety performance.
▪ SKYWAY improved its performance achieving level D for safety policy and objectives, risk management and safety promotion in 2023. Consequently, SKWAY achieved the RP3 EoSM targets in all management objectives and exceed its performance according to the performance plan.
▪ Spain recorded an increase in the rate of separation minima infringements compared with 2022. The rate of runway incursions increased marginally. These indicators are monitored as a part of National Safety Plan.
▪ Spain uses specific automated safety data recording systems for ACC and TMA sectors and is one of the few ANSPs doing so.
Environment (Member State)
▪ Spain achieved a KEA performance of 3.26% compared to its target of 3.08% and did not contribute positively towards achieving the Union-wide target.
▪ The NSA states that despite the implementation of the projects outlined in the performance plan during 2023, the benefits have not yet been realised.
▪ Both KEP and SCR improved marginally in 2023 in comparison to 2022.
▪ The share of CDO flights increased marginally from 39.90% to 40.67% in 2023.
▪ During 2023, additional time in terminal airspace increased from 1.13 to 1.27 min/flight, while additional taxi out time decreased from 2.61 to 2.57 min/flight.
Capacity (Member State)
▪ Spain registered 0.54 minutes of average en route ATFM delay per flight during 2023 which has been adjusted to 0.47 during the post-ops adjustment process, thus not achieving the local target value of 0.19. Delays in Spain increased by 0.17 minutes per flight year-on-year.
▪ Delays were highest between June and December, mostly due to ATC capacity, adverse weather conditions, industrial action and implementation of new TMA procedures.
▪ The share of delayed flights with delays longer than 15 minutes in Spain decreased by 1 percentage point compared to 2022 and was lower than 2019 values.
▪ The average number of IFR movements was 2% above 2019 levels in Spain in 2023.
▪ The number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to stay the same by 2024, with the actual value being below the 2023 plan in Barcelona by 7 FTEs. The number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to increase by 4% by 2024, with the actual value being over the 2023 plan in Canarias by 4 FTEs. The number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to decrease by 6% by 2024, with the actual value being over the 2023 plan in Madrid by 41 FTEs. The number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to decrease by 7% by 2024, with the actual value being over the 2023 plan in Palma by 9 FTEs. The number of ATCOs in OPS is expected to decrease by 5% by 2024, with the actual value being over the 2023 plan in Sevilla by 13 FTEs.
▪ The yearly total of sector opening hours in Canarias ACC was 28,630, showing a 2.3% increase compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 2.3% above 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Madrid ACC was 95,807, showing a 3.5% increase compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 7.1% below 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Barcelona ACC was 61,756, showing an 8.4% increase compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 2% above 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Sevilla ACC was 40,067, showing a 4.4% increase compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 2% below 2019 levels. The yearly total of sector opening hours in Palma ACC was 36,458, showing a 2% decrease compared to 2022. Sector opening hours are 5.9% below 2019 levels.
▪ Canarias ACC registered 13.28 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 3.9% above 2019 levels. Barcelona ACC registered 15.8 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 1.5% above 2019 levels. Madrid ACC registered 12.41 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 8.7% above 2019 levels. Palma ACC registered 9.5 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 13.8% above 2019 levels. Sevilla ACC registered 12.37 IFR movements per one sector opening hour in 2023, being 18.2% above 2019 levels.
▪ Year-on-year traffic growth in Spain was 11% in 2023, while traffic was 9% above the STATFOR October 2021 Base forecast. The regional distribution of traffic growth and unexpected changes in seasonality combined with minor ATCO issues resulted in a capacity gap despite the improvements in capacity provision. Spain needs to focus on resolving the remaining ATCO issues and further enhance capacity to close the gap.
Cost-efficiency (En route/Terminal charging zone(s))
▪ The en route 2023 actual unit cost of Spain Continental was 49.12 €2017, -5.0% lower than the determined unit cost (51.69 €2017). The en route 2023 actual unit cost of Spain Canarias was 49.61 €2017, -16% lower than the determined unit cost (58.97 €2017). The terminal 2023 actual unit cost of Spain was 101.63 €2017, -9.8% lower than the determined unit cost (112.71 €2017).
▪ The en route 2023 actual service units of Spain Continental (12.5M) were +7.0% higher than the determined service units (11.6M). The en route 2023 actual service units of Spain Canarias (2.0M) were +24% higher than the determined (1.6M).
▪ In 2023, Spain Continental increased en route total cost by +10 M€2017 (+1.7%) compared to determined. The primary factor behind this difference was a significant overspend in the cost of capital for ENAIRE (+9.3 M€2017, or +37%). This gap mainly stemmed from the average interest rates exceeding the planned levels (from 0.8% to 3.3%).
▪ In 2023, Spain Canarias increased en route total cost by +3.8 M€2017 (+4.0%) compared to determined. The main contributor to this difference was an overspend in other operating costs (+2.6 M€2017, or +17%), which is primarily due to energy costs that were significantly higher than planned.
▪ ENAIRE spent 141 M€2017 in 2023 related to costs of investments for both en route and terminal charging zones, +6.4% more than determined (132 M€2017). The increase is attributed to the cost of capital, which was primarily driven by a significant rise in average interest rates, from 0.8% to 3.3%.
▪ The en route Spain Continental actual unit cost incurred by users in 2023 was 59.21€ (+9.4% above the 2023 DUC), while the en route Spain Canarias actual unit cost incurred by users was 38.20€ (-38% below the 2023 DUC). The terminal actual unit cost incurred by users was 34.16€ (-71% below the 2023 DUC). The difference between the AUCU and the DUC in en route charging zones is primarily attributed to the cross-financing adjustment that transferred 36 M€ from Spain Canarias to Spain Continental. In terminal charging zone, the difference between the AUCU and the DUC is primarily attributed to adjustment of other revenues (-80 M€).