Aena’s History
The creation of Aena is associated with the process of liberalisation and market access that took place at the end of the 1980s in European international air transport. In the first decade since it began to provide airport services, on 2 November 1991, Aena (then known as Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea) began an extensive and complete modernisation of Spanish airport and air navigation facilities, placing the airports at the forefront of neighbouring countries and leading management systems in the field of international air traffic control.
After the completion of the liberalisation process of intra-European air transport, promoted by the EU, Aena fostered effective competition in ground handling, with the incorporation of several handling agents, facilitated the entry into the market of numerous airlines and watched how new low-cost companies in Europe emerged first-hand. This ground-breaking offer of traffic services at reduced prices was complemented by offers from traditional companies. And both generated rates of growth in air traffic in Europe that lasted until the middle of the first decade of the 21st century and for which Aena's structure was prepared. Also between the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the new millennium, Aena began to develop a modern business model and to deploy its international activity, with an organisation that today manages air traffic at airports in 6 countries.
Aena & Enaire
The implementation of a new management model in Aena, starting in the second decade of the 2000s, laid the foundations for the modernisation of the airport system, first as the public business entity Aena Aeropuertos, S.A. and, subsequently, as the state trading company Aena, S.A. At the same time, and by means of the same legislation, the public business entity Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea (Aena) was renamed Enaire. It exercised exclusively the competences in matters of navigation and airspace, as well as the national and international operational coordination of the national air traffic management network.
After the entry of 49% of private capital and a successful IPO in 2015 as an Ibex35 company, Aena drew up its first Airport Regulation Document (DORA for its initials in Spanish) in 2017 and managed the highest traffic in 2019, a record year that was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, which plummeted Aena's traffic and economic figures to unprecedented levels.
During that crisis, Aena proved its willingness to adapt immediately and in record time to the uncertain reality. It went from facilitating the mobility of more than 300 million passengers on almost 3 million flights to focusing on the minimum essential and exceptional repatriation and health operations, and then adjusting to traffic demand in a progressive and safe manner, always in line with the way the pandemic panned out. To do so, it carried out various reorganisations efficiently, preserving the safety and health of passengers and workers at all times. This health safety was highlighted by prestigious international organisations, such as the Airports Council International (ACI), which awarded its airports the 'Airport Health Accreditation'.
Aena, now
The Aena of today is defined by its safe and quality service, its environmental commitment and its dedication to innovation.
With the vote on the Climate Action Plan at the Shareholders' Meeting in March 2021, Aena became the first Spanish company and one of the first in the world to report to its shareholders each year specifically on climate action. This real concern for environmental sustainability has also been reflected in the Airport Regulation Document for the next 5 years, from 2022 to 2027 (DORA II), which includes rigorous environmental parameters to guarantee airport sustainability.
Innovation and digital transformation have also become increasingly important in the management of the company, which aims to substantially improve the passenger experience and the efficiency of Aena through a strategic innovation plan.
Aena’s international project is continuing to expand with two new concessions in Brazil: ANB - Aeroportos do Nordeste do Brasil (Recife-PE, Maceió-AL, Aracaju-SE, João Pessoa-PB, Juazeiro do Norte-CE & Campina Grande-PB), in operation since 2020, and BOAB - Bloco dos Onze Aeroporto do Brasil (Congonhas-SP, Campo Grande-MS, Corumbá-MS, Ponta Porã-MS, Santarém-PA, Marabá-PA, Carajás-PA, Altamira-PA, Uberlândia-MG, Montes Claros-MG & Uberaba-MG), in operation since 2023. Both companies belong entirely to Aena and operate under the Aena Brazil brand.
Aena Brazil leads the largest network of franchised airports in Brazil with 17 facilities spread across nine states, handling over 41 million passengers in 2023, which is equal to 20% of the country’s air traffic*. Congonhas, in São Paulo, is particularly notable as it is the second largest airport in Brazil (handling 22 millions of passengers in 2023.)
Aena currently manages 46 airports and 2 heliports in Spain and participates directly or indirectly in the management of another 33 airports in different countries.
*Provisional traffic data
