Air Macau

Air Macau takes encouraging steps to support the Macau market as "resort" tourism balloons

Air Macau's history is not illustrious. It has long sat on an effective monopoly as flag carrier, without exploiting its advantage, yet other airlines have been precluded, greatly upsetting the local tourism and hospitality industries.

But signs are emerging the carrier is beginning to take steps to have a more positive role in Asian aviation. For years Air Macau focused as a transit operation for passengers between mainland China and Taiwan, where direct flights were prohibited until mid-last decade. In doing so, it ignored its hometown market, a tiny enclave that quickly grew this century to be Asia's gambling capital. Inertia cost it market opportunities, especially in Southeast Asia, where agile low-cost carriers moved quickly.

Aircraft were wet-leased to part-owner Air China but now Air Macau's fleet is due to expand in a long-overdue bid to support Macau's growth. Target markets are mainland China and North Asia, but the carrier also hopes to make inroads in Southeast Asia. Air Macau is advantaged with Macau's gradual diversification from just gambling, as well as its concession agreement that runs until the turn of the next decade. But there are challenges, operationally and also being a subsidiary of Air China, which has larger priorities across the region.

SkyTeam's Greater China airline members to form regional alliance in high-yielding market

A proposed regional alliance amongst SkyTeam's Greater China members – Taiwan's China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern and Xiamen Airlines – may appear to be a niche strategic move in the small but highly profitable and expanding Taiwan-mainland China market.

Yet the alliance is also indicative of the growing trend for North Asian airlines to combine their strengths against imposing competitors, namely Air China and Cathay Pacific.

The alliance would account for about half of the capacity between China and Taiwan, a valuable market which is continuously expanding under tight control and route delegation. Its share on certain key business routes, like Taipei-Shanghai, would be even higher. Further airline strength and capacity will pressure Hong Kong-based carriers, which once had a healthy business of carrying passengers between China and Taiwan via their hub.

Chinese airlines report decline in cargo volumes in May-2011

The spectacular rebound in China’s airfreight demand of 2009 and 2010 has slowed notably in 2011. Chinese mainland airlines reported year-on-year declines in cargo volumes in May-2011, marking the second month of year-on-year reductions so far this year. The two reductions in 2011 follow a period of continuous cargo growth that commenced in Jun-2009, as the country’s manufacturing sector recovered at a cracking pace after the global financial downturn.