A centralized data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach optimises the resource usage for all the different units in an organization rather than for each unit separately (conventional DEA). This is particularly relevant for the Spanish airports controlled centrally by the Spanish Airport Authority (AENA) rather than by individual airport managers. In this study, a non-oriented Slack-based inefficiency (SBI) DEA model is used in order to reallocate two transferrable inputs (namely, labour costs and operating costs) between the different airports. Firstly, we apply a conventional (i.e. noncentralized) non-oriented SBI model to identify the inefficient airports. Then, we apply the corresponding centralised DEA model to the inefficient units to maximise the potential improvements (slacks) obtained by reducing the total consumption of the inputs (allowing resource reallocation) and increasing total outputs. The results show how it is feasible to increase the total amount of passengers and cargo as well as the number of aircraft movements without increasing the total amount of inputs, just by reallocating them in an efficient way. Several progressively more relaxed scenarios have been considered, leading to larger total potential efficiency improvements. The model identifies airports that suffer from over-capacity and provide individual targets in each input and output to become more efficient. Sensitivity analysis to outliers or mavericks (i.e. airports with a strong specialisation) has been carried out. The size efficiency of individual airports as well as the overall company has also been studied. The potential efficiency gains and the optimal number of airports in a radical system restructuring have been computed and the optimal size operating point has been determined and compared with the actual inputs and outputs of the existing airports.

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This paper focuses on comparing the efficiency of the Spanish airports for four years (2009 to 2012). The Spanish airports are government owned and managed (AENA) under an airport-system network where non-profitable airports are cross-subsidized by profitable airports. The main discussion is if the decision-making process based on the centralisation of management may influence the efficiency of airports (technical efficiency). Furthermore, a financial analysis is performed to compare which airports although being not profitable from an accounting perspective may be using their current resources (infrastructure) efficiently. Since airports achieving profits cross-subsidized the ones that achieve negative gross margin, it could be discussed that airports with negative gross margins when technically efficient could obtain better financial results if competition is allowed. The methodology to calculate the technical efficiency level of the Spanish airports is based on non-parametric models DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis). The results show that the improvements among the years in the gross margin of the larger airports (such Barcelona and Madrid) are not a fair and true reflection their current operational performance, but a result of a centralised making-decision process (centralised management) among investments; depreciation and air fares. The results also show that airports increase significantly their technical efficiency when competing with similar-size airports, being the medium airports the ones that experience a higher increase of efficiency.

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