Vigo Opens Spain’s Digital Aviation Future – Spain Relies on Remote Control in Air Traffic: First Digital Tower in Operation, but Experts Warn of Risks to Safety and Jobs
On June 15, 2025, a regular scheduled flight from Vigo to Madrid took off – controlled not from the traditional control tower cabin, but from a technical room in the airport’s basement. Air traffic controllers monitored the entire process via screens and high-resolution cameras. It was the first operation of a digital control tower in Spain – and a historic moment for the country’s civil aviation.
AENA, the state airport authority, celebrates the system as a technological milestone. However, its introduction has drawn criticism from unions, politicians, and parts of the public. Especially in A Coruña, there is growing concern that the local tower could be replaced by remote control.
Progress with Potential for Conflict
The system in Vigo uses 14 fixed 360° cameras and five movable cameras to capture the airfield from all angles. In the current test phase, it is only used during off-peak hours, and an air traffic controller remains ready in the classic tower for manual intervention if necessary. AENA assures that all types of flights – including emergency, rescue, and ambulance flights – can be handled as usual. The responsible supervisory authority, AESA, has approved the project.
Air Traffic Controllers Sound the Alarm
The USCA union warns of concrete risks: the system is not reliable enough under certain weather conditions or for small aircraft. There are fears of restrictions for important services such as fire-fighting aircraft, medical transports, or maritime rescue operations. Delays in regular scheduled traffic are also possible. In A Coruña, there is growing fear that their own tower could soon be replaced by the digital control center in Vigo – especially if the airport undergoes renovations. AENA has so far denied that such plans exist, but the uncertainty remains.
A Highly Paid Profession Under Scrutiny
In Spain, the profession of air traffic controller has been under particular scrutiny for years. In the past, extremely high salaries – sometimes over 300,000 euros annually – caused public outrage. A working time reform and salary cuts in 2010 attempted to reorganize the system. Despite these measures, air traffic controllers in Spain are still among the highest-paid public sector employees, often significantly above the salaries of experienced surgeons in the public health system. This inequality is repeatedly discussed in the social debate. For this reason, union demands and warnings – even if they relate to safety aspects – often meet with skepticism from the public.
The Change Has Begun
Despite all criticism, AENA is sticking to the full introduction of the system in Vigo by the end of 2025. For many, this step may be a sign of technological modernization. But it also raises fundamental questions: How much trust does automation deserve in the sensitive area of aviation? And what happens to the people whose work is increasingly being digitized?
