Madeira International Airport – Cristiano Ronaldo (FNC) has been suffering significant disruption due to the strong winds in the area. The instability began on the night of Jun. 2 and has led to several flight cancellations.
Strong Winds
The island of Madeira, where the Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport is, belongs to the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira and is located 700 km west of Morocco’s coast. Due to the severe winds and the potential danger to both staff and passengers, numerous flights were cancelled.
According to the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) official reports, winds began at a speed of 26 km/h during the morning. Additionally, winds reached their highest speed by night, achieving a maximum of 74 km/h on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the first flights to be disrupted were a GetJet service from Vilnius and a SATA Air Açores from Porta Delgada. Respectively, the first suffered a route diversion, whereas the later service was cancelled. These were early indications that strong winds would lead to cancellations.
Coincinding with a General Transport Strike
The strong winds leading to cancellations were combined with the impact of the general transport sector strike that occurred on Wednesday, June 3, exacerbating the already expected disruptions. In response to the strike, TAP Air Portugal established a minimum service schedule, where flights between mainland Portugal and the island will occur at least twice a day.
In spite of the number of cancellations, many were still able to land in Madeira. However, major carriers such as easyJet and Jet2 were stopped from carrying their services.
Have you ever been to Madeira Island? What do you think of the flight cancellations? Let us know in the comments below.
