Madeira’s PSD and PS have called on the national Government to resolve problems with the air travel support scheme, highlighting platform failures, excessive bureaucracy and the costs residents must pay upfront.
PSD MP Paulo Neves, elected to the Assembly of the Republic by the Madeira constituency, demanded on Wednesday, the 7th of October, that faults affecting the electronic MCT – Territorial Continuity Mechanism platform, used by residents and students of Madeira and Porto Santo be corrected.
Speaking at a hearing with the Minister of State Reform, Neves said the platform should “work perfectly” and be updated to comply fully with the new rules approved by Parliament. In a statement, he noted that Law No. 23/2026, published in June, required its functionality to be adapted.
He described the problems as unacceptable and urged the Government to simplify and improve a process that directly affects passengers. According to the statement, the Secretary of State attending the hearing said the matter was being monitored.
Meanwhile, PS-Madeira president Célia Pessegueiro called on the national Government to implement the legal framework governing the Territorial Continuity Mechanism, arguing that residents travelling between Madeira and mainland Portugal should pay only €79, while students should pay €59.
At a press conference outside a CTT post office, Pessegueiro criticised the requirement for passengers to pay the full airfare before applying for reimbursement. She accused the Government led by Luís Montenegro of failing to implement legislation in force since June, leaving residents of the autonomous regions to shoulder substantial upfront costs.
“If a citizen or a company did not comply with the law, what would happen? There would be a penalty or a fine. When it is the State that does not comply with the law, what happens?” she asked.
Pessegueiro also warned that bureaucracy and technical problems with the platform could discourage some passengers from claiming the reimbursement to which they are entitled.
PS-Madeira wants passengers to pay only their share when purchasing a ticket, with the State responsible for the remaining eligible amount. Pessegueiro suggested that travel agencies could help administer the arrangement, saying they had already expressed willingness to provide the service.
She said the issue was particularly significant as the regional autonomies mark their 50th anniversary and Parliament hosts Madeira Week, challenging those taking part in the celebrations to draw attention to what she described as the State’s failure to comply with the law.
The socialist leader also criticised Regional Government President Miguel Albuquerque and Regional Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Culture Eduardo Jesus, accusing them of focusing on the scheme’s implications for tourism instead of prioritising residents’ travel costs.
Pessegueiro argued that the principles of autonomy and territorial continuity would remain unfulfilled until these problems were resolved.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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