The severe weather conditions on the Santa Catarina runway, marked by strong gusts of wind, were compounded by the effects of a general transport sector strike called for Wednesday, 3 June.

This double disruption occurs during one of the peak tourist and mobility periods of the regional calendar, coinciding with the eve of the national holiday of Corpus Christi (4 June) and the long weekend.

Official records from the EMAS weather station showed, in the early morning, an average wind speed of around 26.6 km/h from the north quadrant, with gusts reaching 56 km/h in the preceding hour and a maximum peak of 72 km/h recorded since midnight, with the intensity blowing from the east during periods of greater turbulence.

The first warning signs began to appear on Monday, with the diversion of a GetJet flight from Vilnius and the cancellation of a SATA Air Açores flight from Ponta Delgada, foreshadowing atmospheric conditions that would worsen in the early hours of Tuesday with recorded gusts of 74 km/h.

During the morning of Wednesday, the pattern of cancellations stabilised in the departures and arrivals schedule, affecting almost all operators.

Although most aircraft are still able to approach and land on the Madeira runway, the list of cancelled flights includes easyJet flights to and from Porto and Lisbon in the morning and afternoon, as well as the Zurich route operated by Edelweiss Air.

The low-cost carrier Transavia also had to cancel flights to Paris and Nantes, while Jet2 cancelled its flight from Manchester.

This stressful weather scenario is exacerbated by the general strike. In response to the protest and following union negotiations, TAP Air Portugal activated a minimum service schedule guaranteeing only two daily round-trip flights between mainland Portugal and the Madeira archipelago.

The drastic reduction in transport capacity and the lack of real-time information on other routes operated by the flag carrier have worsened uncertainty at airports, prompting a preliminary stance from the Regional Government, which alerted the Ministry of Labour to the isolation of island residents, deprived of alternative ground transportation.

Given this mixed contingency situation, ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal issued a warning to travellers, recommending that they check the status of flights with the respective airlines before travelling to the terminal.

The airport management company also warns of the likelihood of increased waiting times and significant constraints at border control for international departures from outside the European Union, urging passengers on these routes to arrive at the facility significantly earlier than usual.