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Macao gets approval to expand flights to mainland
(Shenzhen Daily-Agencies)
Updated: 2004-11-19 15:43
The central government has agreed to let another airline fly to the Chinese
mainland from Macao, which could help the tourism-dependent region establish
itself as a gateway for budget travel.
The new pact signed Wednesday allows a second airline to fly from Macao to
the Chinese mainland, except for major cities of Beijing, Shanghai and
Guangzhou. Service to those cities would be opened in the summer of 2006,
officials said at the signing ceremony.
The number of destinations Macao can serve in the mainland market has
increased to 37 from 31, while the number of weekly passenger flights has been
raised 82 percent to 539. Cargo flights will also double to 50 a week.
The agreement had "paved the way for big expansion in the future," the Macao
SAR government said in a statement.
The government did not mention specific airlines, but Australian budget
carrier Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd has said it is exploring the possibility of
operating a low-cost service out of Macao.
Air Macao, in which Hong Kong tycoon Stanley Ho holds a 14 percent stake, is
the only Macao-based airline.
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