The Legislative Assembly (AL) yesterday passed a government-initiated bill that will gradually liberalise Macau’s civil aviation sector by licensing the setting-up and operations of more locally headquartered airlines operating passenger transport services.
The bill’s outline was passed during a plenary session of the legislature in June 2023, after which the bill was reviewed by its 3rd Standing Committee, before it was resubmitted to yesterday’s plenary session, which Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raymond Tam Vai Man attended, when it was voted on article-by-article in its second and final reading.
The bill passed yesterday will establish a new legal system regulating Macau’s civil aviation activities. The bill will take legal effect on February 1 next year.
In November 2023, the government extended Air Macau’s monopoly concession as a locally headquartered airline for another three years as the civil aviation bill was still being reviewed by the legislature at that time.
Air Macau’s 25-year monopoly was granted in 1995, when Macau was still under temporary Portuguese administration.
According to the new civil aviation law, the government will licence the setting-up and operations of more locally headquartered airlines operating passenger transport services through public tender.
The civil aviation bill’s initial version proposed that after the new law takes effect, Macau’s current concessionaire for commercial air transport services, i.e., Air Macau, would be automatically granted a licence for commercial air passenger transport services without the need to participate in a public tender. Its current concession would remain valid until the respective licence was granted.
However, according to the new civil aviation law, i.e., the bill’s revised version following the standing committee’s review, Air Macau will be required to apply for a licence if it intends to continue with its commercial air passenger transport service, within 90 days after the new law’s promulgation in the Official Gazette (BO).
According to the new law, Air Macau will be required to submit a five-year business plan when applying for the licence.
According to the new law, the maximum number of licences for commercial air passenger transport service to be granted will be stipulated by a chief executive order.
During yesterday’s plenary session, Tam underlined that Macau’s commercial air passenger transport service will only be liberalised step by step, and that the government will only gradually increase the number of licences to be granted for commercial air passenger transport services.
Tam noted that Macau’s commercial air cargo transport service will, however, be fully liberalised so that airlines meeting official requirements will be allowed to obtain a permit to operate such services from Macau’s civil aviation authorities.
Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raymond Tam Vai Man speaks during yesterday’s plenary session in the Legislative Assembly’s (AL) hemicycle. – Photo courtesy of TDM
This file photo taken last year shows Air Macau aircraft parked at the local airport. – Photo: Tony Wong
