Air Macau | Exclusive concession not extended

The Civil Aviation Authority (AACM) announced yesterday that Air Macau’s 25-year concession agreement, set to expire in November 2020, will not be renewed.

In a statement issued yesterday, AACM confirmed a report published earlier this week by Portuguese language newspaper Hoje Macau, saying that the local government “already informed Air Macau in October last year that their exclusive right will not be extended after 2020.”

Noting there are currently 35 airlines connecting Macau to 56 destinations, AACM considers that the operation of any routes to Macau by a foreign airline is not restricted by the present concession of Air Macau. “Any foreign airline who wishes to operate scheduled flights to Macau can file their flight application to AACM for approval on the condition that the airline is designated by the aeronautical authorities of the contracting party and fly the route in accordance with the provisions as laid down in the bilateral air services agreement between Macau and the contracting area,” the statement reads.

AACM also mentioned that it hired an international consultancy firm to study the future development of the air transport market for Macau in 2017. However, the authority did not disclose what plan will be implemented, noting that the Basic Law required that the local government must communicate with the Central Government when devising the plan. Hence, “the direction for the future development is yet to be formalized,” according to AACM.