Spain becomes Europe’s worst air traffic control provider, Ryanair claims

Ryanair has called for urgent Spanish government intervention to address escalating air traffic control (ATC) issues. The airline reports that Spain has overtaken France to become the worst ATC provider in Europe.

So far in 2026, delays caused by Spanish ATC have increased by 28 percent compared to the previous year. This has resulted in more than 32,600 delayed Ryanair flights, affecting nearly 6 million passengers. The airline specifically identified the Area Control Centres in Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville as major contributors to these disruptions, noting they remain among the worst-performing centers in Europe due to chronic staff shortages and inadequate capacity planning.

Eurocontrol has identified these three centers as requiring special measures to manage traffic demand for the remainder of the summer. Ryanair has criticized ENAIRE’s previous ‘70-measure’ improvement program, stating that the rising delay figures suggest the measures are ineffective. The airline is demanding more controllers, better shift organization, and sufficient staffing to meet foreseeable traffic growth.