Air Macau

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. No cleanup reason has been specified. Please help improve this article if you can; the talk page may contain suggestions. (August 2008)

Air Macau
澳門航空

IATA NX ICAO AMU Callsign AIR MACAU
Founded	1994
Hubs	Macau International Airport
Frequent-flyer program	CIP Club
Airport lounge	CIP Lounge
Fleet size	16
Destinations	19
Parent company	China National Aviation Corporation (Macau) Company Limited
Headquarters	Macau
Key people	Zheng, Yan, Chairman Zhu, Songyan, General Manger
Website	www.airmacau.com.mo

Air Macau Company Limited (simplified Chinese: 澳门航空; traditional Chinese: 澳門航空; pinyin: Àomén Hángkōng) is the flag carrier airline of and headquartered in Macau. The airline operates services to 12 destinations in Mainland China, as well as regional international services, from its hub at Macau International Airport.^[1]

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 other than the helicopter service). 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.

Air Macau is owned by China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC) (51%), TAP Portugal (20%), STDM (14%), EVA Air (5%), the government of Macau (5%) and Macau investors (5%) and employs 1,023 staff (at March 2007).^[1] Two companies controlled by Macau SAR's Chief Executive Edmund Ho have sold a combined 1.25 percent stake in financially troubled Air Macau to a unit of China flagship carrier Air China, Reuters reported during the week.

According to the report, the stake sale for an undisclosed sum was confirmed by sources at Air China, a unit of Air Macau's controlling shareholder - CNAC.^[2]

Corporate affairs

The head office is currently in the Edifício CNAC (中航大厦 Zhòngháng Dàshà).^[3][4] Previously it was in the Edifício Tai Wah (大華大廈 Dàhuá Dàshà).^[5][6][7]

Destinations

Fleet

Air Macau Airbus A321 in Japan (2006)

The Air Macau passenger and cargo fleet consists of the following aircraft (at April 2012):^[8]

Retired 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.

Livery

Although Air Macau serves as Macau's flag carrier, the Special Administrative Region of Macau flag has never appeared on any of its aircraft. Neither did the flag of Portugal appear on its aircraft prior 1999 handover.

Taiwan Strait

More than 70% of Air Macau's revenue comes from transporting passengers across the Taiwan Strait to Macau. Every week, Air Macau has 72 round-trip flights scheduled between Macau and Taipei and 28 round-trip flights scheduled between Macau and Kaohsiung.

Air Macau offers a one-plane service for passengers traveling between Taiwan and Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, and other cities in the Chinese mainland. Although they must complete a brief transfer procedure in the Macau International Airport and wait for about 30 minutes with their carry-on luggage in the departure lobby, passengers can board the same plane once again and continue to their destination. Air Macau staff are also stationed to assist Taiwanese passengers in obtaining their PRC Entry Endorsement.

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 China.^[1] 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%).^[1] 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.^[9]

In November 2007, the Macau Daily News reported that Macau Asia Express was suffering funding problems, which led to a delay at the taking-over of the already ordered aircraft, and finally the revocal of the Air Operator's Certificate in 2008.^[10]

See also

• Transportation in Macau

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Air Macau

• Official website (English)
• Air Macau Magazine inflight magazine

v t e Airlines of Macau Air Macau Viva Macau See also: Category:Airlines of the People's Republic of China Civil Aviation Authority of Macau

v t e Airlines of the People's Republic of China Authorities: Civil Aviation Administration of China Civil Aviation Department (Hong Kong) Civil Aviation Authority (Macau) Passenger Air China Air Macau2 Beijing Capital Airlines Chengdu Airlines China Express Airlines Cathay Pacific1 China Eastern Airlines China Flying Dragon Aviation China Southern Airlines China United Airlines Chongqing Airlines Dalian Airlines Dragonair1 East Star Airlines Grand China Air Grand China Express Air Hainan Airlines Hebei Airlines Henan Airlines Hong Kong Airlines1 Hong Kong Express Airways1 Jetstar Hong Kong1 Joy Air Juneyao Airlines Kunming Airlines Lucky Air Okay Airways Shandong Airlines Shanghai Airlines Shenzhen Airlines Sichuan Airlines Spring Airlines Tianjin Airlines Tibet Airlines West Air Xiamen Airlines Cargo Air China Cargo Air Hong Kong1 China Cargo Airlines China Postal Airlines Grandstar Cargo Great Wall Airlines Shanghai Airlines Cargo Shenzhen Donghai Airlines Yangtze River Express Airlines with footnotes are headquarted in Hong Kong1 or Macau2 Special Administrative Regions See also Defunct airlines of the People's Republic of China