Managing traffic flows to avoid bottlenecks and network congestion is a key objective for all air navigation service providers in Europe. Applying short-term flight level caps, rerouting or even ground delays to a limited number of flights could reduce traffic peaks and ensure smoother operations for the overall network.

Since 2019, ENAIRE is able to swiftly apply such Short Term ATFCM measures across all its Area Control Centers, managing more than 2.2 mln square kilometers airspace. This goes to the benefit of up to 2 million flights per year, translating into less delays and shorter flight paths for almost 250 million passengers on a yearly basis.

Through a CEF-funded implementation initiative, launched in February 2017 and successfully closed in January 2019, ENAIRE developed the necessary concept of operations, operational procedures and guidance material to make sure that the optimized management of traffic demand and capacity reduces traffic congestion not only within Spanish airspace, but also in the adjacent countries.