Airport expects 8.5 million passengers this year, aims to expand flight connections

Chan Weng Hong [L] and Eric Fong [R]

The Macau International Airport anticipates handling 8.5 million passengers and 6,600 flights this year, reflecting year-on-year growth of 8% and 10%, respectively.

This projection follows a strong start to the year, with passenger numbers increasing by 15% in January alone.

The growth is supported by increased airline activity, with flights scheduled from March to October seeing a notable uptick.

Eric Fong, director of the Marketing Department at Macau International Airport Company Limited (CAM), emphasized that the airport’s strategy focuses on fostering stable airline partnerships and enhancing short-haul connectivity as a stepping stone for long-haul routes.

One of the key expansion plans is strengthening ties with Southeast Asia.
“We are actively working with airlines to establish more routes to Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asian cities,” Fong told the press on the sidelines of CAM’s media luncheon yesterday.

By April, new flights are expected to launch between Macau and Cheongju, Korea, with a connection from Ho Chi Minh City to Macau anticipated to begin in July.

Additionally, Macau is collaborating with airlines from Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia to create a network that links the city to major transit hubs.

Among the upcoming developments, the local airport is working with Scoot to provide connections through Singapore, allowing passengers to reach France with minimal layover times.

Discussions are also ongoing with Korean Air to enhance connectivity with South Korea, while further partnerships with airlines in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore are being explored.

A major focus of the expansion plan is the partnership with AirAsia, which has a reduced presence.
“AirAsia’s top management has recently shown renewed interest in expanding operations in Macau. They have presented three- and five-year plans, which we are currently evaluating,” Fong stated.

Charter flights

In addition to Southeast Asia, Fong noted potential discussions with major carriers like Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines regarding strategies to develop the local market.

Initially, the focus is on establishing charter services.

“We are working very hard to seek out more agents and charter companies. […] We are building connections in the Greater Bay Area because the population in Macau is limited. We need the Greater Bay Area’s population to help us support our aircraft operations,” said Fong.

“This collaboration will instill greater confidence in charter companies and agents, allowing them to establish routes for Macau. I believe that if they can develop charter routes in Macau, it will significantly benefit our efforts,” he added.

Next month, the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is launching a promotional campaign in the United Arab Emirates to enhance travel promotions and encourage Emirates Airline to consider a direct flight to Macau, similar to its service to Hong Kong.

When asked about the feasibility of such flights in terms of demand, Chan Weng Hong, chairman of the Executive Committee of CAM, emphasized that the “airport has its own policies to attract international passengers and encourage airlines to fly to Macau more.”

“However, we don’t have all these long-haul flights at this moment due to the demand-supply balance. Airlines won’t operate routes without stable demand. So, it’s a chicken-and-egg situation,” he said.

Instead, the airport is focusing on transit options.
“We work with several airlines to establish links first. Instead of direct flights, we use hub-to-hub services. We have partnered with airlines using Beijing, Taipei, Colombia, Singapore, and Bangkok as transit points. This allows airlines to sell tickets directly from Macau to Europe, with luggage checked through to the final destination,” Chan explained.

Echoing similar sentiments, Fong added, “While direct long-haul routes remain a challenge, we are exploring charter services as an entry point. If successful, this could evolve into regular scheduled flights.”

A year of expansion

This year, the airport will feature a series of upgrades and developments, particularly the reclamation and expansion of its facilities. Chan disclosed that a significant part of the renovation involves improvements to security and passenger processing.

“We will introduce a self-driving security system that will separate luggage that needs to be unpacked, with rotating boards to streamline the process. Additionally, we will implement the One-ID system, which will enhance the entire process from check-in to boarding. According to the design company, these upgrades will improve passenger flow by 1.8 times,” Chan explained.

Cargo terminal in Hengqin

The new upstream cargo terminal in the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin aims to help the local government enhance the city’s aviation logistics capabilities and foster regional economic development.

In an update, Chan said the pre-deployment cargo station in Hengqin is still under development.
“We are currently working on exploration. The design has been completed and is awaiting approval in the mainland. We expect to start construction in the second quarter of this year.”

One of the key focuses for the local airport is strengthening cross-border logistics.
“We hope to build our logistics base in Hengqin to make it more convenient for tourists to use our international airport in Macau, and even cooperate with nearby airports,” Chan explained.