Viva Macau Links Up With Lufthansa Cargo

Written on October 25, 2006 by a2zMacau

Viva Macau, a low-cost regional airline in the former Portuguese colony of Macau in southern China, has linked with Lufthansa Cargo to develop its airfreight business when it starts operating early next month.

The airline has two Boeing 767s but plans to expand to at least six aircraft next year.

Viva Macau chief executive Andrew Pyne told Lloyd’s List that the airline hoped to generate between 22% and 25% of its revenue from cargo operations.

He said the “substance of the deal with Lufthansa” was to sell bellyhold space for airfreight. “Cargo is a big priority,” he added.

Aside from partnering Lufthansa Cargo the carrier has also been talking to integrators operating to Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, formerly Clark air base,in the Philippines.

Mr Pyne said the aim would be to offer integrators such as UPS and FedEx a cargo link between Manila and Macau.

The airline has also appointed sales agents in Macau, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

Mr Pyne, who was formerly head of international affairs responsible for securing air traffic rights at Cathay Pacific Airways, said Viva Macau was seeking a dedicated cargo manager to expand its cargo operation.

The airline is waiting for the Macau government to issue an air operator’s certificate allowing it to start operations. Initially it plans to operate services this year to Jakarta, Diosdado Macapagal, Male in the Maldives, Phuket in Thailand and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. “Next year we plan to start services to Sydney, Australia and Dubai,” Mr Pyne said.

Viva Macau is the latest entrant into what will become an increasingly crowded airline sector in southern China.

Two Macau-based airlines; Macau Air Express and Golden Dragon, both linked to Macau casino mogul Stanley Ho ndash; are set to launch in the next few months.

Macau Air Express is a joint venture between Air Macau, China National Aviation and Shun Tak Holdings and will operate flights to Chinese and other Asian cities.