Due to difficult weather conditions in Madeira, flights are being cancelled. Travelers from Poland who were stranded on the island contacted the Kontakt 24 editorial team. – Since 8 p.m., the flight has been postponed every hour. It's the next day, almost 17 hours have passed, and we are still waiting. The carrier did not provide us with accommodation. We only received vouchers for food – complained Mr. Robert. – We have been waiting for the flight since morning and we probably won't fly, because now absolutely everything is cancelled. The board is red. The weather does not allow takeoff or landing – reported Ms. Monika.
Mr. Robert, a tourist, who has been waiting for a return flight to Katowice from Madeira since yesterday, contacted us. The Enter Air charter flight ENT7122 was supposed to depart from the island yesterday at 20:10, but due to high winds and the situation in Madeira, the flight was canceled.
– We were supposed to fly yesterday at 20:10. We didn't take off. Since then, the flight has been postponed every hour. It's the next day, almost 17 hours have passed, and we're still waiting. The carrier didn't provide us with accommodation. We only got vouchers for food. We're deprived of information. We don't know anything – he said. The man told us that the reason for the flight cancellation was strong wind. – Our flight was canceled because of the weather. The wind was too strong, so the plane from Katowice that was supposed to take us home was redirected to the airport in Gran Canaria. And that's probably where it's been until now. And we're waiting – he concluded.
“The board is lit red”
The editorial team of Kontakt 24 was also contacted by Ms. Monika, who was also stuck at the airport in Madeira. Her Enter Air flight ENT5002 was supposed to depart from the island today at 1:45 a.m. for Warsaw. The woman was supposed to land at Chopin Airport.
Strong winds in Madeira, airports cancel flightsContact 24
– It's been very windy for three days, so we had some concerns. Flights were canceled in the evening because of the bad weather, but the travel agency stubbornly didn't cancel our transfer to the airport. They took us even though they knew we wouldn't fly. When we got to the airport, nothing was landing – she began.
She added that all flights are canceled on the board. – We have been waiting for a flight since morning and we probably won't fly because now absolutely everything is canceled. The board is red. The weather doesn't allow for takeoff or landing. We have already received two vouchers for food from the carrier. Twice for 12 euros – she said.
The woman mentioned that they had purchased a trip with Ithaca. – We are not angry with the carrier, and even less with the airport. Madeira is a specific island, and the airport there is one of the most difficult in the world. We are angry with the travel agency, which, despite knowing perfectly well that we would not fly, sent us to the airport and left us there – said Mrs. Monika. – We are in contact with the embassy in Lisbon, apparently some group has already been established to manage the crisis – she added.
“Madeira Airport is one of the most difficult airports in the world”
Enter Air issued a statement in which it said that “due to the prevailing weather conditions, flights at the Madeira airport for all airlines operating there are currently very difficult”. “The Madeira airport is one of the most difficult airports in the world and in the event of unfavourable wind conditions, conducting flight operations there is very risky. We are waiting for the weather to improve, which will allow the planned flights to be carried out”, it added.
The Kontakt 24 editorial team also contacted the Itaka travel agency. – The reason for the postponement and cancellation of flights from the Madeira airport is poor weather conditions. Strong winds will make it impossible to trample and land in this area. Madeira is a specific island, which is why such situations can occur. In accordance with the applicable regulations, travelers at the airport are under the care of the carrier – said Paweł Koterbicki, customer service director of the Itaka travel agency.
He assured that “despite this, the Itaka travel agency supports its customers”. – The agency sent travelers an SMS with information about vouchers offered by the carrier and new flight schedules. They are to take place today. The flight to Warsaw is scheduled for 5:00 p.m., to Poznań for 4:25 p.m. Customers have access to a 24-hour hotline, which they can call and report problems – he informed.
Kontakt 24 was unable to contact the Polish Embassy in Lisbon regarding this matter.
Fires in Portugal
On Friday in the area Portugal firefighters fought several large forest and wasteland fires. The fight against them was made difficult by temperatures exceeding 30 degrees. One of the largest fires has been ravaging forests on the Atlantic island of Madeira since Wednesday. On Friday evening, an evacuation was ordered for homes that were approached by the fire in the town of Curral das Freiras.
Main image source: Contact 24