The service of Macau’s air carrier, Air Macau, was the target of much criticism by the lawmakers at Legislative Assembly (AL) last Friday.
Legislators urged the government to take the opportunity of this contract extension to demand significant improvements in the service by the Macau flag carrier.
Several lawmakers, including Wang Sai Man, Mak Soi Kun, and Sulu Sou, criticized the airliner for the service it provided at a time that the government is negotiating the details of a contract extension for three more years.
The original concession contract was due to expire this November, making way for an expected opening of the market, but several factors including the outbreak of Covid-19 forced the government to hold back from the idea of market liberalization of the aviation sector, granting Air Macau an extension of the original 25-year concession.
The topic, initially launched by a spoken inquiry on the aviation sector from lawmaker Chui Sai Peng, quickly escalated into criticism, with the majority of the lawmakers intervening in the debate with Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário noting that now is the right time for the government to demand improvements from the company.
Wang noted that given Air Macau is not a low-cost airliner he considers that the services provided fall short of expectations.
“Sometimes they don’t even provide the passengers [with basic onboard amenities such as] a pillow or a newspaper. It seems that this airline [does not deserve the title] of representing Macau if we consider their quality of service,” Wang said, while accepting the decision to extend the concession contract taking the current situation into account.
In turn, Mak added to the criticism saying that the company’s service embarrasses Macau people.
“It’s shameful. The flights are always late. They don’t even provide food on the plane,” Mak said.
As for lawmaker Sou, the concerns were more focused on the identity of the company, he accused of not being “really local” since they do not provide announcements to passengers in Cantonese.
Although the many critics and appeals were for the government to exercise negotiating power, the Secretary did not promise that the problems aired by the lawmakers would be included in the negotiations of the extension of the exclusivity arrangement that will continue until November 2023.
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