Sometime this guy does speak sense.
JPP defends, for the Madeira Airport Contingency Plan with the use of Porto Santo Airport, a quick connection (45m) between Porto Santo and Caniçal, as recommended by the Economic and Social Development Plan (PDES).
Recalling that the operability of Madeira Airport and the use of Porto Santo Airport as an alternative to the sea connection for passengers diverted from flights, “it was news in the Diário de Notícias on March 28th, in a piece in which the executive administrator of Porto Santo Line (from Grupo Sousa), defended Lobo Marinho as ‘a good solution’ to operationalise the transport of these passengers to Madeira. He put forward numbers justifying this ‘good solution’, stating that the ship Lobo Marinho can ‘carry 1,153 passengers’ and make ‘three trips a day’, meaning ‘the capacity of 20 planes’”, the JPP considers that “this solution will serve perhaps the interests of the Sousa Group, but a connection that takes almost 3 hours to complete the journey will never be a quality solution for those who were forced to make this unexpected trip”.
The party emphasises that PDES Madeira 2030 “recommends in relation to the Madeira airport contingency plan, using Porto Santo as an alternative, that the transit of diverted passengers be done by sea transport, in a quick connection between the port of Porto Santo and the Port of Caniçal in 45 minutes”, a solution that “involves the acquisition of a new vessel that allows this connection, thus guaranteeing the speed required in carrying out these situations that cause inconvenience to travelers who want to see their situation resolved quickly”.
JPP understands that the Madeira Airport Contingency Plan involves the use of Porto Santo airport, with the expansion of the respective station, and the rapid transfer of passengers to Madeira through a fast maritime connection between Porto Santo and Porto do Caniçal. “To do this, it is necessary to acquire a vessel that can make this connection quickly and comfortably. Lobo Marinho does not comply with these assumptions, which is why it is not a good solution”, he expresses.
“Ask passengers traveling to Porto Santo what they prefer: a 45-minute journey or a 2 and a half hour journey?”, he asks.