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Portimao-Maderia ferry - Cancellation of service
-
Bruce Wallis
- CVO Oracle
- Posts: 5505
- Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2006 7:35 am
- Location: Wroxham, Norfolk/ Vale de Centiannes
Portimao-Maderia ferry - Cancellation of service
It's a shame that at a time when Portimao is trying to develop as a cruise and ferry port, that the weekly ferry service between Portimao and Funchal, Maderia , has been axed.
The reason given by the ferry operator is that the Funchal Port authority is levying huge and disproportionate port fees on the service.
Something that Funchal can do, because they often have 3 or even major cruise liners in there every day of the week, all year round, not just once a week, as Portimao does , in the season.
The decision has caused disappointment in Portimao, but is viewed as a total disaster in Maderia, because the island economy is suffering from not only the normal Portuguese financial malaise, but also from a loss of tourists because of airlines cutting back services to the island. Easyjet has just cut its Stansted-Funchal service for example.
The hotel industry in Maderia projects about 10,000 lost hotel nights a year because of the ferry service cancellation, and are spitting blood at the port authority.
Apparently this cancellation has now become a huge political "hot potato" on the island.
It will be interesting to see if political pressure is successful, and we get the service restored.
We shall certainly support it , if it is.
The reason given by the ferry operator is that the Funchal Port authority is levying huge and disproportionate port fees on the service.
Something that Funchal can do, because they often have 3 or even major cruise liners in there every day of the week, all year round, not just once a week, as Portimao does , in the season.
The decision has caused disappointment in Portimao, but is viewed as a total disaster in Maderia, because the island economy is suffering from not only the normal Portuguese financial malaise, but also from a loss of tourists because of airlines cutting back services to the island. Easyjet has just cut its Stansted-Funchal service for example.
The hotel industry in Maderia projects about 10,000 lost hotel nights a year because of the ferry service cancellation, and are spitting blood at the port authority.
Apparently this cancellation has now become a huge political "hot potato" on the island.
It will be interesting to see if political pressure is successful, and we get the service restored.
We shall certainly support it , if it is.
Re: Portimao-Maderia ferry - Cancellation of service
[/quote][quote="Bruce Wallis"
Easyjet has just cut its Stansted-Funchal service for example.
Aer Lingus stopped from Dublin last year. Not a lot on its own but taken with the other cessations you can see how hoteliers etc would not be happy.
Ryanair don't go there, (don't think that runway would suit their kamikaze way of landing
)