Ryanair has issued a scathing statement about Spain's state-run Enaire air traffic control (ATC) network, claiming it is now worse than its French counterpart and demanding urgent government action. The rebuke marks the latest escalation in Ryanair's long-running dispute with Spanish authorities, following a campaign against regional airport taxes that previously forced the carrier to withdraw from several smaller hubs.
Delays surge by 28%
According to Europe's largest airline, Spanish ATC delays have risen by 28% compared to last year, disrupting more than 32,600 flights and affecting six million passengers. Ryanair claims that roughly 10% of its total operations in Spanish airspace have been compromised.
Area control centres in Barcelona, Madrid and Seville have been singled out as the worst-performing ATC facilities in Europe. Ryanair attributes these bottlenecks to chronic staff shortages and insufficient capacity planning by Enaire.
Eurocontrol warning and Ryanair's response
The situation has become so severe that the aviation body Eurocontrol has warned that special measures will be required across all three cities for the remainder of the summer schedule.
Ryanair COO Neal McMahon did not mince words regarding the provider's performance. In a statement, he said: "Spain has achieved something that we thought impossible. It has overtaken France to become the worst ATC provider in Europe."
"The traffic was not unexpected and the summer schedule was no surprise. Enaire has failed to hire, plan and deploy enough controllers to manage demand," Mr McMahon added, slamming Enaire's previously touted '70 measures' program as ineffective.
Tourism reputation at stake
The airline has insisted that Spain is actively damaging its reputation as a premier tourism market by failing to address the crisis. Ryanair is calling on the Spanish government to step in with mandatory increases in controller headcounts, optimised shift planning and strict, measurable reductions in delays.
"The Spanish tourism industry, passengers and airlines deserve results, not more Enaire propaganda," Mr McMahon concluded.
France has long been considered the main target of airline complaints in Europe, notorious for frequent air traffic control walkouts and severe staffing bottlenecks that routinely force carriers to delay or cancel thousands of flights passing through its airspace. A recent French Senate report even warned that its provider, DSNA, remains severely understaffed and underproductive and relies on outdated technology.
Enaire previously defended its staffing levels, highlighting a substantial increase in the number of air traffic controllers since 2019 and pointing to ongoing recruitment for an additional 150 positions. The Express has contacted Enaire for comment.
