One year after making its debut in Madeira, Ryanair, contrary to what is usual in each new season for each airport in which it operates, announced as novelties for 2023 not having (almost) novelties: the exceptions are an increase in capacity in compared to last summer and more frequencies on the domestic route linking Funchal and Porto. Even so, and after all, the company’s statement summarizes the plans with an epic tone, but, in any case, factual: it is the “biggest schedule ever by Ryanair in Madeira”.
Keeping two planes positioned at the base of Cristiano Ronaldo airport, the company announces a 7% increase in operational capacity, forecasting “more than 730,000 passengers” and “60 direct jobs” (the company also considers indirect jobs, calculating in the case “more than 600 thousand jobs”).
Existing routes will be maintained: Lisbon and Porto, Milan Bergamo, Brussels Charleroi, Paris Beauvais, Marseille, Dublin, London Stansted, Manchester, Nuremberg.
Regarding Funchal-Porto, it goes from seven to eleven weekly flights.
In terms of news at the other Portuguese airports where it operates, Ryanair only stood out in new and more bets in Faro and Porto. The reason relates, previously announced, to criticism of airport fees, including on the islands, and considering that TAP, in Lisbon, “continues to block slots [faixas horárias] does not use and does not intend to use”, in the words of the group’s executive chairman, Michael O’Leary.