Macau International Airport (MIA) is offering incentives to airlines that keep flying to and from Macao while the COVID-19 pandemic depresses transport around the world. Take-off and landing fees were partially waived by the airport’s operator, Macau International Airport Co. Ltd.
The airport operator announced in April that its board had approved reductions in the fees airlines were charged for scheduled passenger flight movements between 1 February and 30 April.
The MIA operator said its reductions would save airlines about MOP19 million, and stated more incentives may be forthcoming, without identifying specific measures.
“It is hoped that under the current severe operating environment, we will be able to overcome the difficult times with airlines,” the company said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reduced demand for air travel. In this year’s first quarter, the throughput of passengers at MIA was approximately 60 percent lower than a year earlier, at approximately 936,000 passengers. The number of take-offs and landings at the airport was down to less than 9,300 movements, a decrease of 50 percent in year-on-year terms.
| Macao SAR Government to extend Air Macau concession The Macao SAR Government will extend the concession contract held by Air Macau for three years. The Civil Aviation Authority of Macao announced in May that the purpose of the extension was to cope with the amendment of the relevant legislation for the liberalisation of Macao’s air transport market, as well as to maintain the stability of the industry operations currently affected by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia. The authority said the Macao SAR Government had started the work to extend the contract. Air Macau currently has an exclusive, 25-year concession to serve the city, which expires in November 2020. |