Covid-19: Madeira at risk of leaving the green list of air corridors in Europe

Tobi Hughes·
Madeira News

The President of IASAÚDE, Herberto Jesus, revealed to RTP that this is what will happen if more than 70 new cases are registered per week, even if they are imported.

I think we still have a long way to go before we get to this number, but with increased cases in many European countries, it is a possibility.

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Tobi Hughes

28 Responses

  1. Then Non Residents must have a test before arriving.

    It’s the only way forward.

    No more free testing for non residents.

    1. Richard, I don’t know if you are a resident or not, I can see the reasoning behind your remarks but I must ask, without the tourists what are you going to pay the Hospitality Industry staff with ?

  2. This sounds a bit like scaremongering. You can’t have it both ways. Either you want tourists to come to Madeira, which makes sense because the economy needs the income, or you tell people to stay away, which you would effectively do by demanding a negative test report before arrival. Most countries do not have enough testing possibilities (yet) .
    But you can go on and on about ‘what could happen if….’.. The tourist season is coming to an end, many airlines have reduced or even cancelled all their flights up to mid December, so the number of people arriving will decrease from next week onwards. So we will be okay for the time being.

  3. I agree with Peter. We will do a test in Germany next Thursday (136 Euro for 2) to fly to Madeira and enter Madeira without problems and 1 day quarantine. An idea to improve would be to reimburse half of that money. Because Madeira which offers a free test does not have to pay that for us.
    I am also afraid that all travel will come to a halt again, looking at the dramatically increasing numbers in Europe – and that only 3 weeks into October.

  4. on second thoughts, I think you have to look at this from another angle yet. Air corridors? That is a British invention. Only the UK has these green air corridors. Seeing that the UK is the country that ‘sends’ most positive covid-19 cases to Madeira, I think they would really have a nerve if they first let them visit Madeira and then take Madeira of their green corridor list. Honestly. Whoevfer invents such nonsense?

    1. The UK doesn’t “send” positive cases to Madeira, tourists who could prevent another Cafe Apolo closing, arrive, mainly because like yourself and the rest of us, they have fell in love with the Island. In an ideal world residents of the UK who are under a local lock down, who aren’t supposed to leave their area, would cancel their holiday. Hey Ho, we don’t live in a perfect world so this won’t happen. What Madeira could do and I would agree with them, is to prevent UK residents living in Lock Down areas from arriving on the Island. Two weeks ago I found myself sitting next to a couple from Manchester, a Lock Down area, in a Restaurant.
      One place you will not find me visiting is Manchester. The problem is the Madeiran authorities would have to understand the UK regulations, something UK citizens find hard.

      1. I know the UK does not ‘send’ anyone. But the UK would take Madeira off the list of safe countries in their self-invented corridor, mainly because of the relatively many UK visitors who tested positive upon arrival. That’s why I would think it an outrage if they woule take Madeira off their precious list because of their own citizens. That would really be turning things upside-down.

        Where Madeira is concerned, I have noticed that it is the UK government that does not even try to understand the Madeiran rules and regulations. It is high time the UK government understands they are not the centre of the universe.

    1. You can always come here, Maurice. It’s what the UK government cooks up for you on your return that could be annoying.

  6. Like Peter said. We can’t have it both ways.

    Testing is shocking in UK. If Madeira start demanding people to test before flying then tourism will stop.

    No tourist = No jobs

    Can our island afford this? NO

    I think what government did since beginning has been the best that can be achieved, and thanks to their decisions Madeira is at the moment one of the safest places to go on holiday in Europe and the World

    1. Exatamente, Rui. They are an admirable example to many countries who are making a mess of things by taking half-hearted measures. The state of emergency at the time created the calm that was needed to proceed. I am not at all a fan of the PSD-lot, as they are corrupt, but I have to say that they have taken care of the covid-19 situation admirably. No doubt because they have listened to a very adequate IASaúde-team. Chapeu.

  7. hoping too visit Madeira for Christmas and New Year from Scotland my fingers are crossed.

  8. It’s the thought of travelling out on a plane with someone with Covid 19 that causes me the most worry (my assumption being that nether I nor my dear wife are infected!). They would test positive I imagine, but what would happen if I, or my wife, then developed symptoms whilst there? Neither of us would want to be locked up for two weeks, or however long it takes, to return a negative test before we can return to Blighty. Looking unlikely to travel out in early December as planned, as things stand. Will be looking for something to provide some comfort on the travelling front before we can make a positive decision.

    1. There is no evidence that covid-19 has spread on an aircraft as far as I know. They use HEPA filters in the circulation system which trap viruses.

      When an arrival tests positive they monitor the other pax who sat close to that person. This is why they want to know your seat number so you can be contacted.

      Get your bags packed, flights booked and taxi to the airport ✈

  10. Looking back at some of Tobi’s reports, it would appear to me that the country ‘guilty’ of sending most covid-positive travellers to Madeira is, er… Portugal !
    Closure of borders must be a last resort, which works in somewhere as isolated as New Zealand, which does not depend on tourist trade.
    Figures in Scotland have been consistently lower than England, but I don’t think even Sturgeon has seriously considered closing the border.
    The one thing Madeira can be thankful for, is its immunity to the plague of camper vans which is now rife here ! I hope it stays that way….

  11. Other countries besides the UK, have large numbers of tourists coming to Madeira with worse Covid figures than the UK. France being one, it’s not fair to keep putting the blame on the UK. We’ll be back when there is a safe vaccine.

  12. Response to George Nabbs comment. Dear all, please do not start generalising and putting everybody in the same ‘pot’, we all have to take responsibility for our own circumstances and take actions that keep ‘all ‘ safe. If more people did we would be in a better place. I live in Manchester and have just come back from 2 weeks in Madeira with my husband. I have been coming to Madeira for 18 years. In March, just before lockdown I took the decision to move in with my mother, I am her main carer, she has had dementia for 5 years and was no longer able to live on her own. It was a tough decision, I am 62, work full time and only a couple of years ago recovered from a brain tumour. I was moving out from living happily with my husband of 41 years to keep my mum safe. I now work from my mums whilst looking after her, she does not even understand what I am sacrificing, it is very tiring and hard work and lonely. Our flights were booked in 2019 and we left our decision till the week before to consider everybody and everything. I have isolated myself for just over 6 months and my husband has done the same apart from buying provisions in the evening when few people are around in order to help me. Feeling no symptoms and healthy we decided to go ahead for the good of ourselves and knowing we would be tested and accept whatever test came back and to support tourism. We wore our masks and all other safe measures throughout the holiday and thanked any locals we met for the opportunity to still visit. On return I have isolated for 2 weeks ( even though officially I don’t have to) before I return to my mums on Monday. My brother and sister made arrangements to look after mum and keep her safe till I return, it was a military planning operation. I may live in Manchester ( which is a big place) but I have a mind and a conscience of my own. In addition to all that I have sent messages to the Government of Madeira to thank them and the ‘ people ‘ of Madeira for what has been put in place enabling us to have a break, none of it has been taken for granted.
    Thank you.

  13. Hepa filters do not remove virus otherwise we would all be driving tesla or buying Dyson fans

  14. I am travelling to Madeira Monday for the first time. I have to admit I am shocked by some of the comments on here. Do not paint everybody with the same brush. I follow the rules and have had a test on Friday prior to arriving there.

  15. If you live as I and my wife do in the South West of Cornwall, it is apparent that it is very difficult to obtain a Covid test, unless you have specific health related issues. To have a Covid test 72 hours prior to flying is virtually impossible, and we would willingly have had one if it had been possible.
    Having just returned from Madeira on 5th October, after 2 lovely weeks there, I can assure those of you who are uncertain whether to holiday there are not, that you will receive a very warm and friendly welcome. The arrangements for testing at Funchal airport are brilliant , extremely competent, and carried out with the minimum of fuss and charm. There is nothing to fear if you have behaved sensibly before flying.
    We have been travelling to Madeira for 13 years and have grown to love its its history and culture, and of course the people themselves.
    Go and enjoy what Madeira has to offer.

  16. I should have said re testing at the airport that it is done with the minimum of fuss, but with great charm and sensitivity.

  17. Oh Angela! Well said, Pardon us Northerners for breathing eh? Well, I live in County Durham, which has had its share of the infections increase too, but, I have made a point of keeping myself to myself these past few months, and I am pleased to say that I have booked to go back to Madeira again, in December after first visiting last year. I will be flying from Newcastle too!!! Shock horror!!! ha-ha. Madeira is a magical place, but I do not think this extra capacity that Jet 2 are adding from the dreaded North of England, will cause any problems. They will more than likely attract traditional fans of Madeira, and repeat visitors, not the “riff-raff” brigade! 🙂 The sort of good folk, who will appreciate the reasons behind having to put some ground work in, in order to visit a nice place, and not to just assume that you can travel freely like the days of yor. I was lucky to visit Jersey in the summer, and, like Madeira, also has a full test programme in place and it works really well! So, I am now really looking forward to my trip to Madeira, and seeing again this wonderful place with its wonderful people and glorious gardens. I am happy to jump through hoops in order to comply with these necessary regulations, and I hope that it does benefit Madeira as it is a very difficult balancing act, from an economic and social point of view.

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