Viva Macau - History

History

In 1994, the Macau Government attracted a consortium of investors to start Air Macau with the promise of a 25-year monopoly concession. The carrier set up as a connecting airline for flights between China and Taiwan primarily, as well as other Southeast Asian countries.

Under a sub-concession arrangement with Air Macau, Viva Macau launched new routes from Macau in 2006, pioneering the concept of LCC-type low-cost, long-haul services. Despite Air Macau holding the exclusive concession on all air routes out of Macau, after lengthy negotiations the government agreed to license the new airline on the condition that any routes Viva Macau wanted to operate had first to be approved by Air Macau.

In the years that followed, Viva expanded service with new routes from Macau to Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan and Australia. Viva Macau was named the “New Airline of the Year” in November 2007 by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, due in part to its contribution to the development of the aviation industry and tourism in Macau, and across Asia.

In September 2009, Viva Macau, was voted in the “Top 10 Budget Airlines” by the readers of SmartTravelAsia.com for the second consecutive year. Also in September 2009, Viva Macau become the first Macau-based airline to receive certification from the Macau Civil Aviation Authority (AACM) for Extended Twin Engine Operations (ETOPS). ETOPS is the global standard for efficient long distance flight operations.

Due to Macau’s limited workforce, the company employed staff from 28 different countries, as well as local labor.