Macau International Airport

[SeeMacau]

Originally Posted by hkth

Oh, man! There would be more congestions for the air traffic of the Pearl River Delta Region!

I believe this is a good news, how can we expands more flights to other countries if the airport dont get to expand, we need to have more tourists from different countries for Macau to become more internationalise.

[SeeMacau]

Originally Posted by Portugues

Transport and Public Works Ao Man Long is out of the business. Let's what is going to happen now.

We just wish that the new head of Transport and Public Works dont follows his footstep

[hkskyline]

East Star flights to HK, Macau approved
19 July 2007
Hong Kong Standard

Hubei-based East Star Airlines has won approval from mainland aviation regulators to operate flights from Wuhan to Hong Kong and Macau starting in September, bringing the private carrier a step closer to its goal of servicing international destinations.

Currently, Hong Kong's Dragonair and Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines (1055) are the only airlines offering direct flights between Hong Kong and Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province and most populated city in central China with more than nine million people.

Dragonair currently offers four flights a week between Hong Kong and Wuhan.

East Star told a mainland newspaper that it plans to operate one flight a day to Hong Kong and Macau, with one-way fares not exceeding 1,000 yuan (HK$1,034).

The Wuhan carrier will become the first private Chinese airline to fly to Hong Kong and Macau.

China currently has 10 private airlines, all flying domestic routes, excluding the two special administrative regions that were returned to Chinese sovereignty in the late 1990s.

The permission granted by mainland regulators is seen as part of efforts to loosen the country's strictly-controlled aviation sector, East Star said.

So far, state carriers, including the three largest airlines: China Southern, Beijing-based Air China (0753), and Shanghai's China Eastern Airlines (0670) have dominated international destinations, along with several domestic routes such as Shanghai and Beijing.

Meanwhile, the smaller private airlines in China face stringent restrictions in comparison to the government-backed carriers.

East Star, which currently serves cities including Shenzhen, Nanjing, Xian, Haikou and Hangzhou, said it aims at flying to all provincial capitals and will continue to expand overseas. It has also applied to operate flights to Singapore and Thailand.

[Jim856796]

This expansion is still going ahead, right?

[SeeMacau]

Originally Posted by Jim856796

This expansion is still going ahead, right?

The expansion is on the way and the gov will allocates $10billion MOP for the airport further expansion

[aseantraveler]

3 flights weekly to Macau!
We rule Macau with 66 weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur , Kota Kinabalu, Johor Bahru, Bangkok and now Kuching!

=================================

[SeeMacau]

there should be a market for Macau to Penang flight, hopefully the airline can open this new route soon

[ggaaxx]

A new airline company set up in Macau may not be up and running as scheduled as one of the investors decided to withdraw from the partnership.

The Macao Daily News reported that Air China may have withdrawn from the investment project of Macau Asia Express, a consortium between Air Macau, Hong Kong’s Shun Tak Group and Air China.

The company’s website has also been closed, although its team of 30 employees continue to turn up for work despite the CEO and Business Director have resigned two weeks ago.

Macau Asia Express had been given rights to operate 11 flight routes to mainland China and another 11 to cities within the region.

Earlier the airline company signed an agreement with Aircastle to rent six A320 passenger planes, due to be delivered from the coming December to the first quarter of 2009.

Applications had also been made to open flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Clark, as well as Nagoya, Kitakyushu, Hangzhou and Tianjin.

Sources told Macao Daily News that the six planes that had been rented will be transferred to Air Macau for action.

http://www.blogmacau.info/

[hkskyline]

Can Macau sustain yet another upstart carrier, this one with ambitions to fly to regional routes in China? I don't think the population is big enough to keep it viable.

[hkskyline]

Viva Macau awarded CAPA New Airline of The Year 2007
Corporate Press Release

(Macau, November 1, 2007) - Viva Macau, Asia's newest international low-fare airline, today celebrated its success in contributing to the region's aviation development with the recognition of being the New Airline of The Year.

Viva Macau was honored New Airline of The Year at the Aviation Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner Ceremony held in Singapore on 31 October, and organized by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), the region's pre-eminent aviation strategists.

Viva Macau's Chief Executive Con Korfiatis said, 'we are very excited and honored with the recognition that reflects Viva Macau's contribution in bringing the world to the new Macau through its launch of an innovative wide-body product and low fares servicing Macau to Asia and beyond.'

'Viva Macau started up at the right time and place. Macau, Asia's best-kept secret until recently, is now one of the hottest destinations in the world,' said Korfiatis.

'Its rapidly developing, hotel, leisure, entertainment, conference and gaming facilities, along with its world heritage sites and architecture makes it a must to visit, and Viva Macau is committed to offering best-value travel option, and being the airline of choice", Korfiatis added.

The CAPA New Airline of the Year category is awarded to the start-up airline that has, in the past 18 months, had the most significant impact in the markets it operates and to the development of aviation in the region.

At the ceremony, the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation acknowledged the contribution Viva Macau has made to the low cost long-haul model and in particular to the rapidly evolving aviation scene in the Macau Special Administrative Region.

"Viva Macau epitomizes the excitement and optimism that surrounds the development of Macau as one of the region's leading leisure and entertainment centers. The city is fast becoming one of Asia's most vibrant LCC destinations and Viva Macau, with its significantly tailored model, will play a major catalyst role", said Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman of the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.

Currently, Viva Macau flies directly to Jakarta, Busan, and Sydney. Flights to Tokyo and Hi Chi Minh will commence before the end of the year. Announcement of start dates for these new routes will be made in the coming weeks.

End

[hkskyline]

By 2700 from a Hong Kong discussion board :
(Notice the Portuguese on the plane's body.)

[hkskyline]

Budget Carrier Viva Macau to Fly Direct to Ho Chi Minh City

HANOI, November 15, Asia Pulse - In mid-December, Macau's international low-fare airline Viva Macau will begin direct flights from Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City to Macau. The airline's managing director Con Korfiatis said yesterday there would be a return service four times a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday on the wide-body aircraft B767.

The first flight is slated for December 14. "Viva Macau will be the first and only direct flight between HCM City and Macau, an attractive destination where visitors may combine relaxation, entertainment and participate in events like seminars and conferences," said Korfiatis.

"It's not only Asia's Las Vegas, it also has multicultural charisma, a unique rich historical background and heritage, and convenient accessibility to major cities of the Pearl River Delta like Shenzhen," he said, adding that visas could be acquired at the immigration gate. The ticket price begins at US$82 for one-way tickets, excluding fees and surcharges.

(VNA)

[hkskyline]

Over 5 million passengers use Macao airport in 2007

MACAO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Macao International Airport, the only airport in the island city, recorded 5.5 million passengers and handled 180,000 tons of cargo in 2007, according to a press statement released on Friday by the company that runs the airport.

The airport also saw 53,000 aircraft movements last year, which, combined with the surging volumes of passengers and the cargoes, boosted the revenue of the airport to a new level, the Macao International Airport Company (CAM) said in its statement.

Despite the substantial increase, the current passenger volume and number of aircraft movements has reached 90 percent of the airport's capacity, while cargo handling volume has already exceeded the original capacity of just 160,000 tons, according to the statement.

For this reason, the airport's two extension projects were underway and expected by the end of next year, which will double the airport's area of shopping and dinning outlets and increase the mezzanine floor to 1,855 square meters, said CAM, adding that other development projects will be launched in the near future.

[SeeMacau]

Viva Macau will fly direct to Melbourne from Macau by the end of this year

[hkskyline]

High fuel costs threaten to ground Air Macau
11 July 2008
South China Morning Post

Air Macau is facing the biggest financial crisis in its 14-year history, with soaring fuel prices threatening to push the carrier into bankruptcy.

Shareholders including Air China and Stanley Ho Hung-sun's Sociedade de Turismo e Diversoes de Macau (STDM) will meet this month to decide the fate of the city's largest carrier. That could include winding up the airline or a fresh capital injection.

Air Macau yesterday said Air China and the Civil Aviation Administration of China had committed their support, ensuring the company would be sustained through the critical period. Its pilots had also expressed support.

Soaring jet fuel prices have taken a heavy toll on the region's aviation industry this year, with Oasis Hong Kong Airlines going into liquidation in April.

According to a source close to Air China, which owns 51 per cent of Air Macau, letters have been sent to shareholders calling for a meeting to resolve the heavy losses being suffered by the carrier.

Air Macau said "some major strategic moves will be announced very shortly".

It is expected that Air China may buy out shareholders reluctant to commit further funds to the cash-draining carrier.

SEAP, an investment fund of Portuguese airline TAP, owns 20 per cent and STDM owns 14 per cent. Evergreen Airways Service (Macau), the Macau government and several others investors share the balance.

The carrier had lost up to 100 million patacas in the past two months and more than 100 million patacas during the first quarter of this year, equal to the capital of the company, the Macau Daily reported.

The capital has been halved to 200 million patacas because of losses incurred in the past few years.

Air Macau is expected to take a hit from cross-strait passenger flights, with 80 per cent of its Taiwan transit passengers expected to travel directly to the mainland under the new links. That would translate into a 60 per cent drop in passengers.

The company yesterday blamed high fuel costs for its predicament. However, one industry veteran said the carrier's poor performance was due to its management and conservative expansion plan.

"The routes that Air Macau is serving are supposed to be lucrative as it dominates the gateway between Macau and the mainland," said one transport analyst.

Air Macau serves 20 destinations including Taipei, Kaohsiung, Bangkok, Manila, Osaka, Seoul and 13 mainland cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Kunming and Xiamen. The carrier has not allowed its smaller competitor Viva Macau to operate any routes into the mainland, even though some of the routes are not covered by Air Macau.

"It is not possible for Air Macau to go into bankruptcy," said RCM transport analyst Karen Chan. "It is a matter of reputation and face for Air China to be present in Macau and Macau needs a home carrier as long as it has an airport."

[macau_now]

Well, jet fuel costs the same for all airlines and Air Macau has a huge occupation rate on its flights, so I guess losses can only be attributed to poor management.

[hkskyline]

Originally Posted by macau_now

Well, jet fuel costs the same for all airlines and Air Macau has a huge occupation rate on its flights, so I guess losses can only be attributed to poor management.

Depends ... some airlines hedge their fuel, so they are shielded in part from market price movements.

[Filipe Santos]

Originally Posted by macau_now

Well, jet fuel costs the same for all airlines and Air Macau has a huge occupation rate on its flights, so I guess losses can only be attributed to poor management.

The Chinese guy that is there should go back to Beijing!

[MacauVillager28]

Macao and mainland China inks new MOU regarding the air transport market between the two places



The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Macao SAR (AACM) signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the air transport market between mainland China and Macao on 3 February 2009. The new MOU, which lifted some of the restrictions imposed on airline designation and capacity in the old memorandum, will help to enhance the air transport market between the two places.


With the rapid economic development in mainland China and the opportunities driven by the economic boom in Macao, there are great potentials in the expansion of the air services between the two places. The two aeronautical authorities met in April 2008 in Macao for exchange of opinions about the sustainable growth of the air transport market between mainland China and Macao and reached preliminary conclusions on liberalizing the MOU provisions.


The old MOU was signed in December 2006. According to the old memorandum, the number of mainland destinations opened for operation was 57. The designation of airlines and the capacity provisions had certain restrictions, depending on the destinations. Although the new MOU is still confined to 57 destinations, the restrictions imposed on airline designation and capacity, however, are partially lifted. The main provisions of the two memoranda can be compared in the following table:

(* Please find attached file.)


Presently, the mainland destinations for scheduled services which Macao now connects to amounts to 12: Beijing, Chengdu, Fuzhou, Guilin, Kunming, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Wuhan, Tianjin and Wuxi. These services are operated by 6 mainland and Macao airlines which are Air Macau, China Eastern Airlines, East Star Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines and Xiamen Airlines.


The signing ceremony was conducted at the cabinet of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works. With the presence of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr. Lau Si Io and the Vice Minister of CAAC, Mr. Yang Guoqing as the guests of honour, President of AACM, Mr. Chan Weng Hong and Vice Director of the Air Transport Bureau of CAAC, Mr. He Jinri signed the new MOU.


Secretary Lau Si Io and Vice Minister Yang Guoqing had a meeting before the signing ceremony. Secretary Lau thanked the Central Government for its long-term support rendered to Macao’s aviation and explained how the SAR government has helped the local aviation industry and the local airlines to develop their business by adopting flexible measures. In addition, Secretary Lau raised the following issues to CAAC for their study and consideration: allowing the mainland airlines to fly beyond points via Macao, allowing Macao’s airlines to fly to beyond points via mainland cities and allowing foreign airlines to fly to mainland cities via Macao. Facing the realization of cross strait direct flights, Secretary Lau also wished that the market between Macao and Taiwan can be opened up, for example, more destinations in Taiwan and more Taiwanese airlines to be allowed to fly between the two places. Vice Minister Yang indicated that the Central Government will continue to render support to the development of Macao’s aviation and will study deeply into the issues requested by the Macao side. Both sides agreed that the aeronautical authorities of Macao and mainland China should meet regularly to continually discuss and exchange opinions and establish cooperation regarding the enhancement of the air transport market between mainland China and Macao.


*The 57 mainland cities opened for operation are as follows:

Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Kunming, Dalian, Chengdu, Tianjin, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Xian, Chongqing, Qingdao, Urumqi, Nanjing, Guilin, Changsha, Wuhan, Ningbo, Shantou, Haikou, Shenyang, Shijiazhuang, Changchun, Harbin, Taiyuan, Sanya, Huangshan, Wenzhou, Zhengzhou, Jinan, Lijiang, Hefei, Nanchang, Luoyang, Yantai, Beihai, Wuyishan, Meixian, Zhanjiang, Lanzhou, Nanning, Guiyang, Zhangjiajie, Hailar, Yanji, Jiamusi, Qiqihar, Mudanjiang, Weihai, Xishuangbanna, Lhasa, Kashi, Yinchuan, Yichang and Hohhot.

[MacauVillager28]

I think this is the first phase of China boosting Macau...(tho maybe to partly make up for some of loss from Taiwan flights)...

I think this MOU basically allows 'fifth freedom ?' rights... something many places would want (tho I guess subject to further approvals) and is aimed at allowing Macau to develop as a hub for China.
However, this would be a longer-term development, given that current capacity at Macao airport is limited, and it has considerable competition in Guangzhou, HK, Shenzhen airports already.

Also interesting in that foreign airlines can fly via Macau to China (guess this would appeal to SE Asian routes short-term, tho long term it may develop to allow stopover for Europe to Australia etc....

But in short term, it maybe the first boost in allowing more travellers from China and SE Asia to visit Macau more easily.