Air Macau Company Limited is an
airlineAn airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight, generally with a recognized operating certificate or license. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit.Airlines vary...
headquartered in
MacauThe Macau Special Administrative Region , commonly known as Macau or Macao , is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong...
. It is the flag carrier of Macau, operating services to 12 destinations in mainland
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, as well as regional international services. Its main base is
Macau International AirportMacau International Airport situated at the eastern end of Taipa island and neighbouring waters, is the only airport in Macau, which opened for commercial operations in November 1995...
.
The airline was established on 13 September, 1994, and began commercial operations on 9 November, 1995, with a flight from Macau to
BeijingBeijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China...
and
ShanghaiShanghai is the largest city in China, and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with over 20 million people. Located on China's central eastern coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the city is administered as a municipality of the People's Republic of China with province-level...
(prior to 1995, there was no air service to Macau other than the helicopter service).
Air Macau Company Limited is an
airlineAn airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight, generally with a recognized operating certificate or license. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit.Airlines vary...
headquartered in
MacauThe Macau Special Administrative Region , commonly known as Macau or Macao , is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong...
. It is the flag carrier of Macau, operating services to 12 destinations in mainland
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, as well as regional international services. Its main base is
Macau International AirportMacau International Airport situated at the eastern end of Taipa island and neighbouring waters, is the only airport in Macau, which opened for commercial operations in November 1995...
.
History
The airline was established on 13 September, 1994, and began commercial operations on 9 November, 1995, with a flight from Macau to
BeijingBeijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China...
and
ShanghaiShanghai is the largest city in China, and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with over 20 million people. Located on China's central eastern coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the city is administered as a municipality of the People's Republic of China with province-level...
(prior to 1995, there was no air service to Macau other than the helicopter service). One-aircraft service between Beijing, Shanghai and
TaipeiTaipei is the largest city in Taiwan and has served as the de facto capital of the Republic of China since the Chinese Civil War in 1949. It is situated on the Danshui River, almost at the northern tip of the island, about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
began on 8 December, 1995. The first pure-freighter service was launched on 7 October, 2002, between Taipei and
ShenzhenShenzhen is a city of sub-provincial administrative status in southern China's Guangdong province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong...
via Macau. Air Macau is owned by China National Aviation (CNAC) (51%),
TAP PortugalTAP Portugal, commonly known as TAP, is the national airline of Portugal. It is based at Lisbon's Portela Airport, and has been a member of the Star Alliance airline alliance since 14 March 2005, the same day on which the company celebrated its 60th anniversary. Its hub in Lisbon is a key European...
(20%), STDM (14%),
Eva AirEVA Airways Corporation is an airline based at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei, Taiwan operating passenger and dedicated cargo services to over 40 international destinations in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. EVA Air is largely privately owned and flies a fully...
(5%), the
Government of MacauThe Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China , are headed by secretariats or commissioners and report directly to the Chief Executive of Macau...
(5%) and Macau investors (5%) and employs 1,023 staff (at March 2007).
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 - China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC).
Fleet
The Air Macau passenger fleet consists of the following aircraft (at March 2007) :
Air Macau Passenger Fleet
| Aircraft |
Total |
Orders |
Passengers
(Business/Economy) |
Routes |
Notes |
Airbus A300-600RFThe Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody aircraft. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of the Airbus consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS. The A300 ceased production in July 2007, along with the smaller...
|
2 |
|
freight only |
Short haul routes |
Cargo division |
| Airbus A319-100 |
5 |
|
122 (8/114) |
Short haul routes |
|
| Airbus A320-200 The Airbus A320 family of short- to medium-range commercial passenger airliners are manufactured by Airbus and are the only narrowbody in their product line...
|
2 |
|
150 (28/122) |
Short haul routes |
|
| Airbus A321-100 |
4 |
|
178 (16/162) |
Short and medium haul routes |
|
| Airbus A321-200 |
3 |
|
178 (16/162) |
Short and medium haul routes |
|
| Total Number of Aircraft |
15 |
|
|
|
Retired Fleet
2 Boeing 727-100F were rented to provide air cargo service to
ShenzhenShenzhen is a city of sub-provincial administrative status in southern China's Guangdong province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong...
and
TaiwanTaiwan , also known as Formosa , is the largest island of the Republic of China in East Asia. Taiwan is located east of the Taiwan Strait, off the southeastern coast of mainland China...
from 2002 to 2006; both have returned to revenue service
Transmile Air ServicesTransmile Air Services is a cargo airline based in Malaysia. It is an express freight and freighter charter company. The airline was established in November 1993. It has courier transportation services between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia and services international companies such as DHL...
(and repainted from Air Macau livery).
- 9M-TGF - 727-247 Advance F
- 9M-TGA - 727-2F2 Advance F
Both aircraft were replaced with 2
A300-600RFThe Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody aircraft. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of the Airbus consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS. The A300 ceased production in July 2007, along with the smaller...
owned by Air Macau.
Taiwan Strait
More than 70% of Air Macau's revenue comes from transporting passengers across the
Taiwan StraitThe Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait is a 180-km-wide strait between mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast...
to
MacauThe Macau Special Administrative Region , commonly known as Macau or Macao , is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong...
. Every week, Air Macau has 72 round-trip flights scheduled between
MacauThe Macau Special Administrative Region , commonly known as Macau or Macao , is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong...
and
TaipeiTaipei is the largest city in Taiwan and has served as the de facto capital of the Republic of China since the Chinese Civil War in 1949. It is situated on the Danshui River, almost at the northern tip of the island, about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
and 28 round-trip flights scheduled between
MacauThe Macau Special Administrative Region , commonly known as Macau or Macao , is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong...
and
KaohsiungKaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan. It is enclosed by Kaohsiung County, and faces the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into eleven districts...
.
Air Macau offers a one-plane service for passengers traveling between
TaiwanTaiwan , also known as Formosa , is the largest island of the Republic of China in East Asia. Taiwan is located east of the Taiwan Strait, off the southeastern coast of mainland China...
and
BeijingBeijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China...
,
ShanghaiShanghai is the largest city in China, and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with over 20 million people. Located on China's central eastern coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the city is administered as a municipality of the People's Republic of China with province-level...
,
XiamenXiamen , also known as Amoy , is a coastal sub-provincial city in southeastern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. It looks out to the Taiwan Strait and borders Quanzhou to the north and Zhangzhou to the south....
, and other cities in the Chinese mainland. Although they must complete a brief transfer procedure in the
Macau International AirportMacau International Airport situated at the eastern end of Taipa island and neighbouring waters, is the only airport in Macau, which opened for commercial operations in November 1995...
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
TaiwanTaiwan , also known as Formosa , is the largest island of the Republic of China in East Asia. Taiwan is located east of the Taiwan Strait, off the southeastern coast of mainland China...
ese passengers in obtaining their PRC Entry Endorsement.
External links