Air Macau
Flag carrier of Macau
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Air Macau is the flag carrier of Macau. It operates services to destinations in mainland China, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, from the airline's home base at Macau International Airport.[4][5] 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.[6]
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_landing_at_HGH_02.jpg) Air Macau Airbus A320 at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport | |||||||
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| Founded | 13 September 1994 | ||||||
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| Commenced operations | 9 November 1995 | ||||||
| Hubs | Macau International Airport | ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Lotus Miles | ||||||
| Fleet size | 23 | ||||||
| Destinations | 29 | ||||||
| Parent company | Air China (66.9%) | ||||||
| Headquarters | Macau | ||||||
| Key people | |||||||
| Revenue |  MOP78.76 million (2017) | ||||||
| Employees | 1,279 (31 March 2016)[2] | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
| Air Macau Company Limited | |||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 澳門航空股份公司 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 澳门航空股份公司 | ||||||||||
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| Portuguese name | |||||||||||
| Portuguese | Companhia de Transportes Aéreos Air Macau, S.A.R.L.[3] | ||||||||||
History
The airline was established on 13 September 1994,[7] 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.[8]
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%).[4] It employs 1,245 staff (at March 2016).[citation needed] 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.[9] In 2010, TAP sold its share to Air China.[10]
Corporate affairs
Destinations
The airline currently operates 24 destinations including 15 destinations in mainland China.[16]
Codeshare agreements
Air Macau codeshares with the following sister airlines:[23]
Interline agreements
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 retaining the current Lotus Miles.[28]
Fleet
Current fleet
As of August 2025[update], Air Macau operates an all-Airbus A320 family fleet composed of the following aircraft:[29]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Y | Total | ||||
| Airbus A320-200 | 6 | — | 8 | 150 | 158 | B-MCI in "Historic Centre of Macau" special livery. |
| Airbus A320neo | 4 | — | 8 | 150 | 158 | [30] |
| Airbus A321-200 | 8 | — | 24 | 155 | 179 | B-MBM in "Macau Welcomes You" special livery. B-MBB in "Macao - Creative City of Gastronomy" special livery. |
| 12 | 170 | 182 | ||||
| Airbus A321neo | 5 | — | 12 | 186 | 198 | B-MBQ in "Macau Welcomes You" special livery.[31][32] |
| Total | 23 | — | ||||
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.[4] 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%).[4] 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.[33]
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.[34]
