When a scouting trip is worth it

Spent 48 hours in Madeira last week walking three venues and timing the 25-minute FNC–Funchal transfer at different hours; the site visit saved a couple from booking a cliffside spot with impossible coach access. For groups of about 50 flying from JFK and LHR, I still lean toward a Saturday inbound/Tuesday outbound pattern and a mix of two 28-seat shuttles — curious if others are finding staggered arrivals smoother or sticking to a single group block?

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We had a 60‑pax in Funchal where afternoon crosswinds turned the “25 minutes” into 45, so build a 30‑minute buffer and consider one 28‑seater plus a sprinter to handle the old‑town hairpins. I’m with you on Sat–Tue, but Sunday inbound has been smoother for JFK redeyes when the cruise crowd clears and rates dip a touch. In Madeira, “watch the wind” after 2 pm or you’ll be threading a bus like a sewing needle.

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