Trip Reports - FRA-LIS-FNC-DUS with A310 and pilot strike

A while ago, I needed some days to relax and I searched for alternatives how to manage it. I didn't want to fly transatlantic, so Portugal had been a nice destination. I had the choice between the Acores and Madeira. Because of the TAP timetables to PDL, I only had 1 day there, so I'd chosen Madeira for my 4-days-getaway.

Exceptionally I flew on the early afternoon, so there was enough time to eat a little bit at the usually crowded LH lounge at FRA. The soup was quite good, also for my light cold :)

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The A321 was booked pretty well, but the space between my neighbor and me was free, so I managed to reconfigurate my seat to business. Goulash had been served.

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The approach to Lisbon had been, as usual, pretty windy and is a experience every time I fly to the capital of Portugal. As I had been there many times, I took a rental car and drove to the coast. I ordered an ECMR and got a Megane, nice upgrade :)

My destination was Cabo da Roca, the southernmost point of Continental Europe:

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After some traffic delays and a strange guiding by my navigation system I finally arried at the Cape, punctually for sundown. The light at this time of day is just fascinating and beautiful.

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The sun went down and I drove my car to my Holiday Inn Express near Lisbon Airport, just opened a few weeks ago. It was perfect for a wee hour flight, and it was cheap too :D

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There had been the possibilty to pre-reserve a seat on my SATA plane, so, of course, I'd chosen one on the right side. At the time of booking there was still an ugly A320 in the CRS, but fortunately the aircraft type changed to a nice-looking A310 :)

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The seats had been pretty narrow, I wouldn't fly with them transatlantic. But it's an A310 with REAL power :)

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There was plenty to eat: a lunchbox, stuffed with a sandwich with ham AND cheese, wow, and a fruit salad.

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The approach to Madeira airport is very nice, combined with some crosswinds it makes some of the best approaches in Europe :)

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Of course I arranged a rental car, but my baddest nightmares came through: I got a Opel Corsa! It's okay, beside of its small trunk. But even in the UK it got problems to climb up a hill! The car could get them only on the first gear... And these hills on madeira! I went on a street with a slope of nearly 40%, thankfully the streets had been dry...

At first I drove to the easternmost point, where the landscape reminded me of Iceland.

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After that, I drove to the center of the island, to Ribero Frio, famous for its trout culturing, but it's pretty unattractive...

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Further on to Capo Girao, the highest cliff in Europe, about 500 metres high.

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I drove to my Hotel. Usually I take the cheapest, but I got a gift coupon after some complaints of my last holiday in Occupied Palestine, so I'd chosen a snobbish Riu Hotel :D
I'd been welcomed by a glass of Madeira Wine and the rooms had been very nice. But there were pre-arranged mealtimes, even with a dress code. I hate those hotels for fat cats and their behaviours! But the meals had been awesome, even the easiest things like squid or escalope...
The breakfast was also good, but not as good as the breakfast at the Westin in Cape Town :)

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I spent the rest of the afternoon at the airport and its spotting position.

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The traffic hadn't been diverseful this tuesday afternoon, maybe it's the day all the retirees from Germany do arrive...

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On the next day, I drove to Funchal.

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One of the key attractions is the market where one can get fresh fish and exotic fruits. The madeira bananas are very tasteful and even pretty cheap ^^

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The botanic garden offers a nice view over the capital of the isle.

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My tour went along the Sierra de Encumeada in the outbacks with big weather changes. As it had been sunny 25° in Funchal, the interior of the island welcomed me with 10° less and some rain...

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On the north coast:

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There is even a lava cave:

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I got early to bed, the alarm bell had to ring at 4am.
My plan was to get the 6am TAP flight to Lisbon, then a train to Porto and back to Frankfurt in the evening.
But I got to the airport and the pilots were on strike... Holy .....
So, what now? They told me I could get waitlisted on the 10am plane to Lisbon, but how to get to Porto till 4pm?
Thankfully there was a free wi-fi at Madeira Airport, so I managed to stand in line and looking for new flights at the same time :) At first I called Lufthansa if they could change my ticket. Usually it was possible, but only if my designated booking class is available, which wasn't the fact. They told me that I have to ask at LIS, but what's my plan if I'm going to get stranded there?
So I searched for new flights to Germany at this day. Everything was more than EUR 200, but I managed to get an AD-flight on Air Berlin to Dusseldorf that evening. It wasn't that expensive, but still more costly than my other flights...
I also managed to get a rental car (again...) in DUS, with my corporate discount it had nearly the same price than the rail ticket back to Frankfurt...

Now I had seven hours time to kill... I walked along the highway to a small park with benches and a good view of the approach...

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But at this time only a NEOS arriving from Milan had been on approach.

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I walked further along the coast and came to a village named Santa Cruz. Directly at the shingle beach there were some palms and also a free Wi-Fi :) Also a direct view to the approach, what should one expect else? :)

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I went back to the airport by bus and get on the check-in line with other package tourists, better than any comedy show on TV...
The 738 of AB was punctual and fully loaded, but only a small sandwich had been served...

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I picked up my rental car in Dusseldorf, an odd Fiat with Italian registry, but without a plate which allows to enter the Respirable Dust zones... The police hadn't catch me :D

but I got a gift coupon after some complaints of my last holiday...
...so I'd chosen a snobbish Riu Hotel



I loved Madeira but I think it's better to go in the summer.

I found your report interesting...

Anyway, Great Trip Report!
Bad luck about the Pilot Strike. :rolleyes:

Madeira Airport looks amazing! it must be scary for the Pilots, but great for spotting. ^

Did Air Berlin give out free food?


TAZMAN :)

Nice pics! Thank you ^

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