Airport company negotiating new flight routes

Macau airport’s hall

The Macau International Airport Company Limited (CAM) has revealed that it is currently planning new direct flights between Macau and Tianjin, China.
During a press briefing yesterday regarding the Work Plan for the second half of 2014, the company revealed it is also looking into the development of new routes to Xian and Shijiazhuang. It is also in discussion with Air Asia to develop new routes.
At present, there are eight budget airlines operating in Macau International Airport (MIA).
Vicki Mou, deputy chief of CAM’s executive committee office, said that people nowadays have a better knowledge of budget airlines. Therefore, many choose budget carriers when they travel.
Vicki Mou revealed that there are two to three budget airlines currently in contact with CAM with regards to joining the Macau market. These budget airlines are attempting to set up routes between Macau and Taiwan, as well as a number of Southeast Asian cities.
Moreover, she revealed that around 40 percent of passengers using MIA have chosen budget airlines, and that CAM is trying to maintain this ratio.
She explained that the aviation market in Macau is not only about budget airlines. “There are also some high-end travellers who want to fly with more traditional airlines.”
“There is also the issue of destination. Not all budget airlines will fly to some specific destinations.”
She continued by pointing out that CAM has to leave some space for Air Macau and other carriers. Therefore, CAM does not want budget airlines to take up too much of the local aviation market.
“It is not that we do not allow budget airlines to develop [in Macau]. But we have to adjust [according to the ratio].”
Vicki Mou added that, since budget carriers and traditional airlines use different facilities in the airport, if CAM allows budget airlines to develop further, it may not be able to cater for all of them.
“For example, budget airlines do not use a boarding bridge, but would rather land their planes farther [from the terminal] and use buses to take their passengers from the terminal to the plane… Therefore, there are many issues that we have to consider.”
Furthermore, the government has approved the expansion of the north terminal building. Ms Mou estimated that construction will commence in the second half of this year and will last for about two years.
She predicted that the expansion would allow for an increase of 1.5 million per year in the number of passengers.
CAM is also planning to expand the south terminal building, which would similarly allow for an additional 1.5 million passengers. It is expected that the total number of passengers will be boosted to 9 million per year if the construction of both north and south terminal buildings is completed.