Macau Express
So the facts are now thus:
a) Nov sees 3 more daily flights added to MFM: Malaysian from KUL, AirAsia from Kuching, and China Eastern from Shanghaia)
b) Conversely, NX Nov/Dec schedule shows dropping 2 routes (Guiyang and Changsha), and cutting another in half (Chengdu)
c) NX Q3 pax numbers down 2% yoy, and cargo tonnage down 6% yoy - versus economy up >20%
d) NX getting another A300 pax, to be converted to freight (gosh, the last implementation was so successful!)
e) 2 capts resigned in the last week, more pilots expected to follow in the New Year
So the rumours are now thus (I am NOT vouching for the credibility of any):
1) NX will send back 2 A321s early next year
2) NX will pick up one A320 from the MX contract early next year
3) NX looking into taking on some pilots from MX, since NX has own need which is expected to get worse in the New Year (see above), plus looking into some kind of wet lease deal for MX
4) Air China looking into re-organising whole NX mgmt team, and consolidating the lot to Beijing
5) NX to move to own handling in Macau in Nov
6) MX setting up new simulator training agreement in Europe/Mid East
7) most importantly, the restuarant monopoly in Macau Airport ends at the end of this year, and McDonalds is coming
So MX does not yet appear dead and buried just yet.
Meanwhile Air Macau continues getting smaller as Macau gets bigger. Go figure...