Our Review of Madeira Airport (FNC)

Table of contents: Our Review of Madeira Airport (FNC) Pros and Cons of Madeira Airport (FNC) Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide) How we calculate On Time Performance Some Stats

Our Review of Madeira Airport (FNC)

All the information featured on this page was compiled and written by David Enrich, a renowned expert in aviation and airport guides, with over two decades of experience since 1999.

Madeira Airport, also known as Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport, receives mixed reviews. The overall sentiment is somewhat average, with positive comments often balanced by negative experiences. Many reviewers praise the politeness and helpfulness of the airport staff, especially those assisting disabled passengers. The airport is also noted for being clean and well-maintained. Some users have noted that security is fast and efficient.

However, there are several recurring issues. Flight delays are a common problem, often accompanied by poor communication and a lack of clear information for passengers. The limited food options and high prices for food and beverages are also frequently criticized. Some travelers have had negative experiences with security, including intrusive searches and issues with screening technology. Historical complaints about painful and unpleasant COVID-19 testing experiences have also been reported. Additionally, there are a few reports of baggage handling issues, including changed lock combinations, and some travelers have found the announcements difficult to understand.

Based on reviews from platforms like AirlineQuality.com and Google Reviews, where the overall score is 4.1, the staff often receive praise for their friendliness. However, many reviews refer to the landing as dangerous, but also exciting. Taking into account both the positive and negative aspects, as well as the numerical rating from Google, an estimated score for Madeira Airport would be 3.5/5. This score reflects the airport’s good points, such as friendly staff and cleanliness, balanced against recurring issues like flight delays, communication problems, and security concerns.

Pros and Cons of Madeira Airport (FNC)

Pros

Accessibility to the Island: The airport is the main entry point to Madeira, facilitating access from Europe and other parts of the world.
Unique Engineering: The airport’s construction is an engineering masterpiece, with a runway extended over the sea, making it a unique location.
Air Connections: It offers direct flights from several European and Spanish cities, as well as connections to Latin America.
Modern Services: Despite its reputation for being challenging, the airport has significantly improved in safety and passenger comfort.
Strategic Location: Situated near Funchal, it allows quick access to the capital and the rest of the island.

Cons

Weather Conditions: The airport is affected by strong winds and turbulence, which can complicate air operations.
Perceived Danger: Although improved, it remains considered one of the most dangerous airports in the world due to its location and weather conditions.
Space Limitations: The construction on mountainous terrain limits the airport’s expansion and can cause delays in bad weather.
Travel Costs: Flights to Madeira can be expensive, especially for those without access to subsidized discounts.
Dependence on Flights: Since there are no direct land connections to the mainland, travelers rely entirely on flights to arrive or depart from the island.

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

General Information

Official Name: Cristiano Ronaldo Airport
IATA Code: FNC
Location: Santa Cruz, 16 km from Funchal
Importance: Main gateway to Madeira

Airport Services

Wi-Fi: Free access throughout the airport
Restaurants and Shops: Variety of dining and shopping options, including duty-free
ATMs and Currency Exchange: Available in the public area
Post Office: Postal services available
Luggage Storage: Secure baggage storage

Transportation to/from the Airport

Aerobus: Connects the airport to Funchal. Journey time: 30 minutes to city center, 45 minutes to hotel zone. Price: €5 adults, €2.50 children.
Taxi: Available 24/7. Journey to Funchal: approximately €30.
Car Rental: Several companies available at the airport.
Private Transfers: Services like Transfeero offer personalized transfers.

Tips

Book in Advance: For car rentals and private transfers.
Check Schedules: For buses and flights before traveling.
Prepare for Weather: Madeira can have strong winds and rain.

Tourist Destinations

Funchal: The capital, known for its market and gardens.
Ponta de São Lourenço: Impressive natural landscapes.
Porto Moniz: Famous for its natural lava pools.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation