Page 5 | Help! DD stranded in Madeira, can't find anywhere to stay

redskydelight · 2025-07-06T21:28:04+00:00

Hopefully someone might have an idea we haven't ... DD and her boyfriend were meant to fly home from Madeira today but the flights were all cancelled due to winds. The airline has stated force majeure and won't help. We managed to book them hotel room, but when they got there, they said no rooms left ... everywhere else is gone. I've told DD to get herself somewhere warm and safe so she is sitting in Mcdonalds googling with some others also frantically hunting for rooms ... don't know what to suggest and she's starting to panic (she's 19 and her boyfriend has never been away without family before so no help).

notimagain · 08/07/2025 10:19

Not sure if the President has a relevant tech or flying background but he's not happy..

www.timesofmadeira.com/president-calls-to-ease-wind-limits-at-madeira-airport

CountryQueen · 08/07/2025 16:19

snowmichael · 08/07/2025 08:34

The EU flight compensation rules page on my link
Airlines are responsible for their passengers
I've had the EU250 compensation multiple times for flights cancelled due to bad weather

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I don’t think you have. Reimbursements possibly, compensation, nope.

CountryQueen · 08/07/2025 16:20

Nchangeo · 07/07/2025 14:14

Honestly piss off. What the fuck is wrong with you. A funny anecdote of a disaster flight and being piled on for getting the airport wrong and then for not bringing an excessive amount of milk for a 2 hour flight. You must have a very miserable life. Enjoy it 😘

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Calm down, the anecdote wasn’t funny 🤣

lindyloo57 · 08/07/2025 18:31

We had a 5 hour delay because of high winds at madeira Airport, was told by tui they wouldn't pay out as its weather related, but I used one of them no win no pay company's, we £600 back, yes they took a cut so it would of been more, but when I tried I was refused . Very happy as it was the price of the holiday.

Jumpers4goalposts · 08/07/2025 21:10

Has she contacted her insurance or does she not have any?

snowmichael · 10/07/2025 10:27

CountryQueen · 08/07/2025 16:20

Calm down, the anecdote wasn’t funny 🤣

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EDIT: Wrong post replied to

snowmichael · 10/07/2025 10:29

notimagain · 08/07/2025 08:56

Eu250?

Are you sure you"ve had compensation or has what you received been reimboursement/payment to cover outgoings.on food, accommodation as per Duty of Care...

For very good reasons (some related to safety) regulators worldwide are very reluctant to force airlines to start paying out compensation when for example a flight has been unable to operate due extreme weather conditions (and wind being outside aircraft guidelines or airport limits would certainly count) or other causes outside the airlines direct control.

This is how the UK CAA currently word it:

"Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation."

Edited

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There is an enormous difference between BAD weather and EXTREME weather
Winds are almost never considered EXTREME

snowmichael · 10/07/2025 10:29

CountryQueen · 08/07/2025 16:19

I don’t think you have. Reimbursements possibly, compensation, nope.

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Nice to know that you're more aware of what happened than I was
You clearly don't know the difference between BAD and EXTREME weather

notimagain · 10/07/2025 11:02

snowmichael · 10/07/2025 10:29

There is an enormous difference between BAD weather and EXTREME weather
Winds are almost never considered EXTREME

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Ok so you help us out by providing us with the definitions of "bad" and "extreme."

For info from an aircraft operations POV you are usually limited by numerical values,.e.g. as in x knots...aviation weather forecasts/actuals simply don't use "bad" or "extreme"...those are BBC weather wet finger in the air subjective terms.

If it's 50 knots across at say Heathrow and your aircraft has a 45 kt across crosswind limit then regardless of "bad" or "extreme" it's not legal to fly, so it's cancel, and should be No comp.

If the wind at Madeira airport is measured as being outside airport limits (which are published) then it's not legal to land/takeoff...so again the airline would I suspect take the POV that they shouldn't be offering compensation for passengers on directly effected flights.

Arguments may start about comp due winds if we're talking about reactionary (knock on) delays to subsequent flights...but frankly if eligability to comp is going to be decided solely by the lawyers arguing over "bad" v "extreme", regardless of observed weather, safety in the industry will be screwed.

snowmichael · 11/07/2025 20:14

notimagain · 10/07/2025 11:02

Ok so you help us out by providing us with the definitions of "bad" and "extreme."

For info from an aircraft operations POV you are usually limited by numerical values,.e.g. as in x knots...aviation weather forecasts/actuals simply don't use "bad" or "extreme"...those are BBC weather wet finger in the air subjective terms.

If it's 50 knots across at say Heathrow and your aircraft has a 45 kt across crosswind limit then regardless of "bad" or "extreme" it's not legal to fly, so it's cancel, and should be No comp.

If the wind at Madeira airport is measured as being outside airport limits (which are published) then it's not legal to land/takeoff...so again the airline would I suspect take the POV that they shouldn't be offering compensation for passengers on directly effected flights.

Arguments may start about comp due winds if we're talking about reactionary (knock on) delays to subsequent flights...but frankly if eligability to comp is going to be decided solely by the lawyers arguing over "bad" v "extreme", regardless of observed weather, safety in the industry will be screwed.

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I really think you need to read the legislation

notimagain · 11/07/2025 22:24

Ah, Ok,.so the legislation is using terms to describe weather that those on the operational side of aviating (flight crew,.ops staff) don't recognise...

I guess the lawyers have their logic and if it works for them so be it.

.