Regarding last Sunday’s column, it’s important to say, without mincing words, that the deputy director of DIÁRIO, Roberto Ferreira, is right when he raises the need to discuss a new airport for Madeira.
For too long, the Region has become accustomed to living with limitations that are no longer isolated incidents.
Cancellations, disagreements, and operational constraints are recurring with a frequency that cannot be ignored. The issue is not the competence of the professionals or technological advancements, but rather the physical and meteorological conditions that continue to impose clear limitations on operations.
Even with more advanced wind measurement systems, there are no absolute guarantees of safe operation and, as is well known, there is no consensus even among pilots regarding extending the current limits. Safety cannot be compromised.
Given this situation, insisting solely on contingency solutions is postponing the essential. Porto Santo is not providing a solution, the palliative plans are running out, and the impact on the economy, tourism, and the lives of residents is accumulating.
Discussing a new airport is not a whim, it’s a strategic necessity. It may be expensive, demanding and complex, but it will be even more expensive to continue managing a problem that affects Madeira’s credibility and accessibility.
Ignoring this debate is to perpetuate a taboo that the Region can no longer tolerate.
Nuno Silva