The Macau International Airport recorded a total of 5.15 million passengers last year, reaching around 54 percent of the number of passengers recorded in pre-pandemic 2019, airport operator CAM announced in a statement yesterday.
According to the statement, the local airport recorded a total of 42,504 aircraft movements in 2023, representing around 55 percent of the 2019 level.
The statement said that passengers on mainland China routes accounted for 58 percent of last year’s total passenger numbers, while passengers on routes for the Taiwan region represented 15 percent of the total. The remaining passengers, 27 percent of the total, took Southeast Asian and Northeast Asian flights.
Currently, Macau’s international air passenger flights only cover destinations in Southeast Asian and Northeast Asian countries.
The statement also noted that 25 airlines are currently operating passenger flights serving the Macau International Airport, covering 48 destinations in the mainland, Taiwan and Southeast and Northeast Asian countries.
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng said in November last year that the government was requesting Air Macau, the city’s flag carrier, that buy bigger aircraft with the aim of being able to operate international routes to further destinations.
Macau International Airport Company Limited (CAM) pledged in yesterday’s statement that the airport will continue to expand its international passenger routes.
In addition, the statement said, this year CAM will strengthen its promotional campaigns in mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) with the aim of attracting more of those from the region to use the Macau International Airport to travel onwards to other destinations.
A government-initiated bill proposing the liberalisation of Macau’s civil aviation sector is being reviewed by one of the legislature’s standing committees. The bill proposes to licence the setting-up and operations of more locally headquartered airlines operating passenger transport services through public tender.
This undated handout photo released by CAM yesterday shows the local airport’s departure hall.
