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Signing of Letter of Intent between Macau International Airport and Frankfurt-Hahn Airport to establish "Sister Airports"

2005 / 09 / 26

Macau International Airport Co. Ltd. (CAM) and Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, signed a letter of intent on the formulation of "Sister Airports", at the Routes Conference on Monday 26 September, in Copenhagen Denmark. It was an enhancement of the development of the aviation business and deepened the cooperation and information exchange between airports of Europe and China (Macau).

Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Macau International Airport at a cocktail reception in Routes Conference, Macau International Airport announced its cooperation with Frankfurt-Hahn Airport among the airline delegates and associates, following its signing of Sister Airports with Inner Mongolia Civil Airport Group Company in May.

The signing of LOI was officiated by Ms Liu Suning, Senior Assistant to Chairman and Director of Marketing Department of Macau International Airport Company Limited and Ms Sigrid Kramb, Deputy Director Marketing & Sales of Flughafen Frankfurt-Hahn GmbH. Areas of cooperation covering route development, marketing development, and management operation.

Macau International Airport and Frankfurt-Hahn Airport both are fast growing in passenger and airfreight markets, of being located near important international hubs and of having a significant development of low-cost operations.

Macau International Airport being situated at the south of Pan-Pearl River Delta of China, an area with high speed economic development and a population around 450 million people, accounts for 33% of the total Chinese population. The airport capacity is 6 million and expecting to exceed 4.2 million by end of 2005. The successful coming of Air Asia and Tiger Airways also displayed Macau International Airport’s flexibility to accommodate alternative airline operation other than full service operation. It was awarded Airport of the Year 2004, Asia Pacific by Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation for its outstanding performance and Best Emerging Airport Asia - Cargo at the Asian Freight & Supply Chain Awards.

Similarly, Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, is situated near the conurbations of Rhine-Main, Cologne-Bonn and Luxemburg, has become one of Germany’s fastest growing airports based on low fare services, both successful in the freight and passenger sectors. It is the 10th largest international airport in Germany. It has a catchment area of about 13 million people with a radius of 90 minutes. Its current passenger capacity is 10 million and reached 2.8 million during 2004 and anticipating >3.8 million in 2005. Being the first German low cost airport to attain a 24-hour operating license. The Low Cost Operation was with Ryanair. In the freight sector, the all-important second leg of a successful airport, Frankfurt-Hahn is in the 4th place in Germany and 96th place worldwide. The biggest cargo customer at Frankfurt-Hahn Airport is Aeroflot.

Having common experiences of fast growing passenger and airfreight markets, of being located near important international hubs and of having a significant development of low-cost operations. Both airports are willing to establish a bilateral cooperative relationship to enhance their airport management efficiency, to develop point-to-point routes for air transport connections between Europe and Southern China and to share experiences that might be relevant for both sides.

The formulation of Sister Airports would be the milestone towards the long-term relationship between Macau and Frankfurt-Hahn. The two airports agreed to offer favourable incentive packages to airlines operating new passenger or cargo services between the two airports and take initiatives to cooperation to create win-win situation.