Spanish Air Navigation and Airport Management: ENAIRE and AENA
ENAIRE: Spain’s Air Navigation Authority
ENAIRE is the public entity responsible for air navigation in Spain, managing the planning, recording, and controlling of aircraft movement. It provides en-route, approach, and aerodrome control services. ENAIRE is the 4th largest air navigation provider in Europe, handling approximately 2 million flights annually. It manages 2 million km² of airspace from 5 control centers and 22 airport control towers.
AENA: Spain’s Airport Management Company
AENA is a state-owned company focused on airport management. It manages 46 airports and 2 heliports in Spain. Through its subsidiary, Aena Internacional, it also participates in the management of 29 airports abroad, mainly in America and the United Kingdom. AENA is a state-owned company, indicated by the abbreviation S.M.E.
Airport Service Providers
Public/Mixed Companies:
- AENA and ENAIRE
- Air Navigation: Air Traffic Control (ATC)
- Ground Operations: Ground control and airport facilities allocation
Private Companies:
- Cafeterias and Shops
- Car Rentals
- Tourist Information Offices
- Airline Catering Services
- Aircraft Cleaning Services
- Airlines
- Ground Handling companies
Airport Areas
Landside
The landside area is where passenger operations are carried out. It is divided into three zones:
Public Area
This is a free access area, mainly containing check-in counters and airline ticketing offices. It is further divided into departures and arrivals.
Passenger Area
This area is not accessible to the general public and includes boarding gates and baggage claim belts. It is divided into departures, arrivals, and transit.
Private Area
Access is restricted to airport managers, authorities, airline staff, and official organizations. This area houses handling/airline offices, meteorological offices, aeronautical information services (AIS), and firefighting services.
Airside
The airside includes runways, taxiways, the control tower, baggage reception areas, and ground equipment parking. The apron, where aircraft are parked, loaded, unloaded, refueled, and boarded, is also located here.
Access to the airside is restricted to travelers and authorized staff who have passed through security control and possess an airside pass. These passes are personal and non-transferable.
Airside Driving Permit (ADP): Staff who drive within restricted airport areas require an ADP. There are two types:
- ADP: Permit to drive throughout all airport grounds except the maneuvering area.
- ADP M.A.: Permit to drive throughout all airport grounds, including the maneuvering area.