Macau International Airport Co. Ltd (CAM) projects its passenger volume to reach 8.5 million this year – and the airport operator’s market department director, Eric Fong Hio Kin, told reporters yesterday that the number of passengers in the first quarter is estimated to reach 1.85 million, a year-on-year increase of 3.0 percent, adding that CAM was currently in discussions with the relevant airlines to launch direct flights between Macau and Jeju Island in South Korea in May, as well as flights to Phu Quoc Island in southern Vietnam later this year.
Last year, the airport, according to Fong, recorded 7.64 million passengers, marking a 48.3 percent year-on-year increase and restoring it to about 80 percent of its pre-COVID-19 level. Additionally, the number of flight movements exceeded 59,900, representing a year-on-year increase of 41.1 percent. Reaffirming the airport’s passenger volume target of 8.5 million and 65,000 flight movements for this year, Fong noted that the passenger volume for the first quarter was expected to reach 1.85 million, while the number of flight movements (touchdowns and takeoffs) was estimated to exceed 14,000, indicating a year-on-year increase of, respectively, 3.0 percent and 1.5 percent.
Fong acknowledged that the growth in the first quarter was slow and that there was still some way to go to meet the expectations set at the beginning of the year. He attributed the slight drop in the number of flights to Thailand – from eight or nine a day to six or seven a day – to the impact of law and order incidents in the kingdom since the start of the year, adding that the passenger load factor for flights to and from Thailand remains above 70 percent.
However, Fong quickly added that the airport operator expects the overall flight volume to remain stable and on an upward trend in the second and third quarters, thanks to the commencement of new flights in April: “We’ll have another assessment after the second season to see if we can actually grow all the way to our projected 8.5 million” passengers this year. He emphasised that the volume of flights will remain relatively stable during the upcoming Easter holiday.
According to Fong, the local airport is currently served by 26 airlines, offering 43 domestic and international routes with over 1,200 flights per week, covering mainland China and Taiwan, as well as destinations in Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, among other key regions, connecting to a total of 24 cities in mainland China, three cities in Taiwan, and 16 cities in Southeast and Northeast Asia, as well as elsewhere.
As pointed out by Fong, the passenger load factor for flights to and from South Korea remained at around 80 percent – and he revealed that “we plan to gradually resume flights between Macau and Jeju in May and are in talks with Vietnamese airlines”.
According to Fong, the airport operator’s work plan for this year also includes efforts to launch flights to and from Cheongju in central South Korea after Easter or before the summer holiday. Additionally, the local airport’s 2025 development plan involves opening service centres in Shenzhen’s Shekou harbour, Zhongshan’s Zhongshangang subdistrict and Zhuhai in the second half of this year.
The airport recorded 100,000 international passengers in January, marking an 8 percent increase year on year. Fong pointed out that passengers from mainland China routes accounted for 46 percent of the total traffic, while those on Taiwan routes made up 17 percent. Additionally, he added, passengers from Southeast and Northeast Asia accounted for 37 percent of the total traffic.
Fong made the remarks on the sidelines of yesterday’s CAM promotion campaign at NOVA Mall in Taipa.
Macau International Airport Co. Ltd (CAM) Market Department Director Eric Fong Hio Kin addresses yesterday’s airport promotion campaign at NOVA Mall in Taipa. – Photo: MPDG
