Macau International Airport operates 31 extra and charter services during Chinese New Year

Macao’s economy has been greatly boosted by the tourism and the gaming industries. Ever since the gaming industry in Macao has been liberalized, the local economy has been facing favourable growth, stimulating the residents to travel outbound. To cope with the market need for air transport resulting from the demand for outbound travels by local residents as well as by the Taiwanese business people returning to Taiwan from mainland China during the Chinese New Year festival, the Civil Aviation Authority of Macao SAR (AACM) received applications from airlines for operating extra and charter services, which the Authority handled rapidly. A total of 31 extra and charter services from 04 to 29 February 2008 were approved.

AACM received a total of 31 applications for operating extra and charter services from 4 airlines for this Chinese New Year. All applications were approved in timely manner, including 5 flights to Taipei, 6 flights to Shanghai, 6 flights to Tokyo and 1 flight to Hangzhou by Air Macau; 6 flights to Taipei by  EVA Airways; 6 flights to Hangzhou by Xiamen Airlines and 1 flight to Shenyang by China Southern Airlines.

On 04 and 05 February, Macau International Airport recorded 153 and 157 movements, and 14,441 and 16,718 passengers respectively.

AACM stated that as the extra and charter flights are not concentrated at a particular time slot, the operation of the airport in the past two days were smooth. It is expected that the remaining extra and charter services will not create pressure to the operation of scheduled flights in the coming days.