Air Macau is planning a major expansion of its cargo and passenger business next year, with most of the passenger growth to be funnelled to a new joint venture low-cost carrier (LCC), writes Brendan Sobie in Macau.
Chief executive David Fei says Air Macau plans to add four Airbus A321s over the next two years, giving it a passenger fleet of 15 A320 family aircraft. But most passenger growth will be channelled to a new LCC Air Macau aims to launch next year.
Air Macau has been in talks with Virgin Blue about partnering on the proposed LCC, but Fei says an agreement has not yet been finalised and there are other potential partners. However, Fei confirms Air Macau's board has approved the concept of establishing a joint venture LCC that will hold its own air operators' certificate and fly to secondary destinations in mainland China which Air Macau does not now serve.
"The idea is to increase the exposure of Air Macau in China," says Fei, adding that it "will develop more destinations in China, maybe another 10, so total coverage will be 20".
A fleet mix and size for the LCC, to be majority owned by Air Macau or its majority shareholder China National Aviation Corporation, has not yet been determined. But Fei says the preference would be a similar type of aircraft, suggesting A320s are the early favourite.
Meanwhile Fei says the carrier is looking to dry lease up to five Airbus A300-600 Freighters and wet lease up to three Boeing MD-11 Freighters as part of a plan to turn Macau into a major cargo hub connecting Asia with Europe and the USA. The MD-11s would be used to serve Los Angeles and New York next year. Fei projects cargo will account for 50% of Air Macau's revenues within three years, compared with 30% currently and just 8% one year ago.
Source: Flight International
