MADEIRA AIRPORT IS THE BEST IN EUROPE IN THE CATEGORY OF LESS THAN 5 MILLION PASSENGERS

Tobi Hughes·
Madeira News

Madeira airport was distinguished as the Best European Airport 2023 in the category of less than 5 million passengers, within the scope of the ACI (Airport Council International) awards.

The sector recognized VINCI Airports’ traffic recovery, with Madeira airport receiving an additional four million passengers in 2022, a historic maximum in the airport’s history.

The positive dynamic remains strong in 2023, thanks to the proactive development of connectivity that allows Madeira airport to offer 59 routes this summer, including 7 new routes with Budapest, Paris, Valencia, Malaga, Milan, Rome and New York.

The award also recognizes the environmental leadership of VINCI Airports, with the ACA 4+ certification obtained at Madeira airport and at all other airports in Portugal, which thus becomes the first country in the European Union to have its entire airport system (10 airports) certified by ACA 4+. The implementation of VINCI Airports’ environmental program allowed Madeira airport to replace conventional lighting with LEDs, renew the airport’s fleet with low-emission vehicles, implement an intelligent system to monitor electricity and water consumption and optimize heating and cooling.

From Jornal Madeira

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Tobi Hughes

11 Responses

  2. I’m not sure what criteria Funchal airport was judged under, but the panel must have had their guide dogs and white sticks with them, along with packed lunches, flasks of tea/coffee, and folding stools to sit on. Or they must have come through the airport in the middle of the night. The airport lacks sufficient catering facilities either before security or airside, and hardly any seating at either side. All it takes is a couple of outbound planes to be delayed or cancelled, and the airport is bursting at the seams, with huge queues for the few cafes they do have as they are usually understaffed too. Have all of this happening on a typical Monday changeover, and the place is bedlam! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Madeira, and the staff who work at the airport are excellent, but I now dread flying out of Funchal airport. Perhaps Christian Ronaldo should add his £Millions to his name on the airport, and improve the traveller facilities there, because God knows, they need something done!!! As a destination, Madeira is world-class, but the airport is not far off 3rd world standard.

  3. Stephen, couldn’t agree more, anyone travelling Monday or Friday is always onto a hiding.
    An arrival (on either of these days) being more than 30 mins late,causes huge problems within the airport.
    No where to sit, no decent food to eat,
    Travel companies are never proactive,they just pick up and take travellers in regardless.
    Our local grass runway airport has better catering facilities, with a lounge and seating area that puts Madeira to shame.
    Don’t get me wrong, I love the island, we have been visiting for 20 years, but sadly, it gets worse every year.

  4. Arriving into Madeira is usually not bad but I dread the airport for the flight home. I completely agree with the points ralsed by Stephen and Martyn. We’ve been coming to Madeira for many years now and my only complaint is the airport.

  5. Come on people. Are you telling me you look forward to arriving at your UK airports. I fly out of Birmingham, Bristol, and Manchester. Flying out of Birmingham and Manchester I need to allow an hour on top of the two hours before flight time.Birmingham hasn’t even an escalator. On return at both airports my pick up driver allows at least an hour from landing for me to tell him I’m out of the airport buildings. I expect to be out in less than 30 minutes from landing to being picked up in Madeira.
    Yes, the initial booking in when returning is a pain. I fly with Ryanair, EasyJet and Tui, with Tui being the easiest but once through, I have never failed to find seats. There are now four cafes airside although the refreshments are typical of any airport, overpriced. Passport control, could have another couple of booths but no worse than the UK. It isn’t Madeira airport that fills me with dread.

  6. Sorry, just to clarify I was referring to departures from Maderia airport alone. Despite the small passport control delays for arriving UK passengers who are no longer able to use the EU-only ‘E-Gates’, Madeira airport is a wonderful place to arrive into. – Not least because we are all looking forward to a week or two of holidaying on this beautiful island. It’s LEAVING Madeira that is the cattle-crush I described in my original message, and thus far, a situation I have experienced twice this year alone, and numerous times since 2003. The ‘organisation’ during these events seems to have gotten worse rather than improved over the years. Hence my utter amazement at this shambolic airport getting any sort of award, other than a wooden spoon…. Best regards, Steve.

  7. Stephen, you’re right, but the UK airports I mention wouldn’t get any awards from my experiences.

    1. What relevance have UK airports got to the article? And try not to be insulting if you reply. I know what you are like.

  8. Mr Nabbs, I’m not wanting to turn this post into our own personal message board, but I wholeheartedly agree. Most airports are brutal places to be these days, some are better than others. I’ve flown through Bristol airport and can concur that its less than ideal, but I’m sure it or any other UK airports wouldn’t get any International awards anyway, which Funchal airport also certainly doesn’t deserve. I always have a brilliant holiday when coming to Madeira and the incoming flight arrangements usually (weather permitting) go like clockwork, but the journey home is always one we could all do without! Best regards, Steve.

  9. Nothing to add agree with everyone been in that situation when I lived in UK from 1999 until 2018/19 and the worse part was 11 years in Scotland long hours of travelling to the airports and expensive tickets to go to Madeira and the constant need to book a year in advance . After returning back to England North the situation wasn’t not much better . Returning back to Portugal 2018 the travelling is better and less concern about booking . I think there is the need a important of add ferry to transport people and goods to the island that will help a lot .

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