Air Macau is the flag carrier of Macau. It operates services to destinations in mainland China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam from the airline's home base at Macau International Airport. In 2014, Air Macau carried 2.12 million passengers with an average load factor of 68.20% and carried 15,900 tonnes of cargo and mail.Air China Annual Report 2014 (Page 22)

History The airline was established on 13 September 1994, and began commercial operations on 9 November 1995, with a flight from Macau to Beijing and Shanghai. Prior to 1995, there was no air service to Macau since 1962 other than the helicopter service. Seaplane service had been provided by Macau Air Transport Company from 1948 to 1961. One-aircraft service between Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei began on 8 December 1995. The first pure-freighter service was launched on 7 October 2002, between Taipei and Shenzhen via Macau.

In 1999, the airline had 1.1 million passengers each year, with 80% of them originating from two cities in Taiwan: Kaohsiung and Taipei.

In 2006, Air Macau was owned by China National Aviation Holding (51%), TAP Air Portugal (20%), STDM (14%), EVA Air (5%), the government of Macau (5%) and Macau investors (5%). It employs 1,245 staff (at March 2016). In 2009, two companies controlled by Edmund Ho, the Chief Executive of Macau sold a combined 1.25% stake to Air China for a sum undisclosed by the parties. () In 2010, TAP sold its share to Air China."Portuguese carrier offloads Air Macau stake." Macau Business. Posted April 29, 2010. Issue 7 (7/2006). Retrieved on April 28, 2013. ()

Corporate affairs

The head office is currently in the Edifício CNAC () in Sé (Cathedral Parish) on the Macau Peninsula."Contact Us Service ." Air Macau. Retrieved on 23 September 2009. "General Administration Office 398 Alameda Dr. Carlos D'Assumpcao, Edif.CNAC, 13-18 andar, Macau""Contact Us ." (Chinese) Air Macau. Retrieved on 15 December 2011. "" Previously it was in the Edifício Tai Wah () in Sé."Outras Empresas do Grupo TAP." TAP Portugal. p. 66 (PDF p. 15). Retrieved on 15 December 2011. "693 Av. da Praia Grande Ed. Tai Wah 5/12 Macau""Air Macau Contacts: Macau." Air Macau. Retrieved on 15 December 2011. "General Administration Office 693 Av. da Praia Grande, Edif. Tai Wah, 5, 8-12 andar, Macau"

Destinations The airline currently operates 24 destinations including 15 destinations in mainland China.

Country / RegionCityAirportNotesRefsChinaBeijingBeijing Capital International Airport Beijing Daxing International Airport ChangzhouChangzhou Benniu International Airport ChengduChengdu Shuangliu International Airport ChengduChengdu Tianfu International AirportChongqingChongqing Jiangbei International Airport GuiyangGuiyang Longdongbao International Airport HangzhouHangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport NanjingNanjing Lukou International Airport NanningNanning Wuxu International Airport NingboNingbo Lishe International Airport QingdaoQingdao Jiaodong International Airport ShanghaiShanghai Hongqiao International AirportShanghai Pudong International Airport TaiyuanTaiyuan Wusu International AirportTianjinTianjin Binhai International AirportWenzhouWenzhou Longwan International Airport XiamenXiamen Gaoqi International Airport YiwuYiwu Airport IndonesiaJakartaSoekarno–Hatta International Airport JapanOsakaKansai International Airport TokyoNarita International Airport Macau, ChinaMacauMacau International AirportMalaysiaKuala LumpurKuala Lumpur International Airport PhilippinesManilaNinoy Aquino International Airport SingaporeSingaporeChangi Airport South KoreaSeoulIncheon International Airport TaiwanKaohsiungKaohsiung International Airport TaichungTaichung International AirportTaipeiTaoyuan International Airport ThailandBangkokDon Mueang International AirportSuvarnabhumi Airport VietnamDa NangDa Nang International Airport HanoiNoi Bai International Airport

Codeshare agreements Air Macau codeshares with the following sister airlines:

Air China All Nippon Airways Asiana Airlines EVA Air Philippine Airlines Shandong Airlines Shenzhen Airlines Thai Airways International

Interline agreements Lao Airlines

Frequent flyer Air Macau has its own frequent flyer program called Lotus Miles (formerly Privileges). On 1 January 2015, Privileges merged with Phoenix Miles, which is the frequent flyer program of Air China, hence the Lotus Miles is folded into Phoenix Miles.

Fleet

Current fleet , Air Macau operates an all-Airbus A320 family fleet composed of the following aircraft:

+ Air Macau fleetAircraftIn serviceOrdersPassengersNotes J Y Total6—8150158B-MCI in "Historic Centre of Macau" special livery.4—81501588—24155179B-MBM in "Macau Welcomes You" special livery.B-MBB in "Macao - Creative City of Gastronomy" special livery.121701825—12186198B-MBQ in "Macau Welcomes You" special livery.Total23—

Former fleet Two Boeing 727-100Fs were rented to provide air cargo service to Shenzhen and Taiwan from 2002 to 2006; both have returned to revenue service Transmile Air Services (and repainted from Air Macau livery). Both aircraft were replaced with two A300-600RFs owned by Air Macau. These two Airbus A300 left the company in 2012. Two old A321-100 were replaced by two new A321-200 in 2013. In 2020 two Airbus A319-100 were retired.

Livery Although Air Macau serves as Macau's flag carrier, the flag of the Special Administrative Region of Macau has never appeared on any of its aircraft, similar to Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific. However, unlike Cathay Pacific, which carried a Union Jack on its aircraft prior to the 1997 Handover of Hong Kong, the flag of Portugal never appeared on any Air Macau aircraft prior to the 1999 Handover of Macau.

Macau Asia Express Macau Asia Express was a failed low-cost airline project, which was to be based in Macau and originally to be launched in 2007, offering scheduled flights mostly to mainland China. It was founded on 24 January 2006 with an initial funding of $30 million. It was owned by Air Macau (51%) and ST-CNAC (CNAC and Shun Tak Holdings) (49%). The aircraft fleet would have consisted of 6 Airbus A320 short-medium haul jet aircraft, which was planned to be expanded to 15–20 aircraft over the first years in operation.

In November 2007, the Macau Daily News reported that Macau Asia Express was suffering from funding problems, which led to a delay at the taking-over of ordered aircraft, and finally the revocation of its Air Operator's Certificate in 2008.

See also Transport in Macau

References

External links