Stranded in Madeira
Britons stuck for a week amid EasyJet flights chaos
BRITISH tourists claim they have been left stranded in Madeira for nearly a week after cancelled flights caused chaos on the Portuguese island.
High winds forced EasyJet to cancel flights from Funchal airport last Monday, leaving hundreds of passengers stuck. Queues of up to 700 people were said to be snaking around the tiny airport amid the chaos.
With little information passed on to holidaymakers many lost their patience and the police had to be called to restore order. Several days later there are groups still stuck on Madeira, unable to take a flight back home until Monday.
Eight pensioners say they are running out of important medication for ailments such as diabetes and Parkinson’s.
Sue Collingwood, 67, said: ‘It was horrendous at the airport. There were hundreds of people trying to work out what to do – families who needed to get back for work or get their children back to school. People were losing their tempers.
‘But when it came to rebooking our flights, we were given no choice whatsoever – it was very much a case of take it or leave it.
‘They said the earliest flight we could get would be this coming Monday – a week after we were meant to fly.
‘There is one chap who has run out of medication for his Parkinson’s and diabetes. Others are running low on theirs. I’ve had to cut mine in half to help my friend Brenda. We feel like we’ve been abandoned by EasyJet.’
remain Two teachers, anonymous, who were wished booked to on the EasyJet flight last Monday evening but said they were also only able to get a return flight a week later.
Four EasyJet flights were cancelled on Monday due to winds of around 36mph, although some airlines continued to fly. British Airways said it had not cancelled any flights to or from the Atlantic island all week. Madeira’s airport – which is named after the island’s most celthe ebrated citizen, footballer Christiano Ronaldo – has one of the world’s most challenging approaches and landings, with the Portuguese aviation authority demanding that pilots undergo additional training before taking controls. A passenger jet slid off the runway in 1977, killing 131 of the 164 people on board. Although the runway has since been extended, the Association of Portuguese Airline Pilots say it is vital the airport closes when winds exceed maximum limits – which are either 29mph or 35mph, depending on direction. Angry passengers at the airport took to social media to vent their frustrations. Clare Cheetam from Brighton tweeted: ‘Stuck at Funchal airport with no help from EasyJet who seem to have vanished with our plane, luggage, #cantgethome.’ A couple told how police officers had to be called to calm customers down, while islanders were becoming exasperated with having to accommodate the extra tourists.
A spokesman for EasyJet, which operates 12 flights a week between Madeira and the UK, said: ‘EasyJet’s flight from Funchal to Manchester on April 9 had to be cancelled because the aircraft was unable to land or depart due to winds gusting above limits.
‘Safety is our highest priority. EasyJet did everything possible to minimise the disruption for our customers. Whilst this was outside of our control we would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of the weather.’
‘Feel like we’ve been abandoned’