Airport has target of 8.7m passengers in 2019

The Macau International Airport is aiming to increase its passenger traffic to 8.7 million this year, after it recorded a 15 percent increase in its total passengers in 2018.

According to a statement, the Macau International Airport Co. Ltd. (CAM) proposed new targets of 69,000 flight movements, 42,750 tonnes of cargo, and 3,438 business jets.

CAM also assured that the South Extension project will be started in the first quarter of this year, while security facilities will be upgraded in order to enhance the safe operation of the airport, as was discussed in CAM’s 2018 Business Summary and 2019 Work Plan.

The implementation of a city check-in service will be further expedited to provide more convenient and diversified services.

Around 8.2 million passengers used the local airport in 2018, which is an increase of 15 percent compared to the previous year. Within this, the number of passengers from mainland China increased by 34 percent, and over 65,000 aircraft movements were handled, representing an increase of 12 percent.

A total volume of 41,500 tonnes of cargo was transported at an 11 percent year-on-year increase. Business jet movements recorded 3,270, a yearly increase of 6.4 percent. 

The overall revenue of the airport reached MOP5.49 billion, an increase of 11 percent from 2017.

Last year, six new airlines were introduced into MIA and 10 new routes were added, totaling 27 airlines now operating 51 routes to the world from Macau.

With the establishment of the Airport Operations Department in 2018, CAM said that the company’s overall structure and operating system had been enhanced to help improve management standard and efficiency in a bid to enhance the competitiveness of the airport in the Greater Bay Area.

“Also, with the completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, MIA will actively combine to the development orientation and unique advantages of Macau to strengthen logistics cooperation using Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, to provide direct express service between the five major airports in the region to strengthen traffic connectivity,” the firm noted in the statement.