The wind has picked up a little in the last hour or so, and the visibility is very poor.
Several planes bound for Madeira International Airport are holding over Funchal without immediate landing clearance, causing delays in arrivals.
Flightradar24 images show at least 7 aircraft circling off the island, a common maneuver when conditions are not suitable for approaching the runway. Among the identified flights are connections from Lisbon, Warsaw, and Prague, operated by airlines such as easyJet and Smartwings.
In some cases, the aircraft are already in the final approach phase before moving away from the island again, a clear indication of unstable landing conditions.
Available data indicates northeasterly winds of around 14 knots, a value that, in isolation, is not high, but which can become significant in the specific context of Madeira Airport. The location and topography of the area mean that variations in wind intensity and direction are frequent, affecting approach maneuvers.
The concentration of holding traffic reveals a sequence of conditional approaches, with aircraft waiting for a stable window to line up with the runway.