Mid-1990s: Beginnings

Macau Airways' origins trace back to 1948, when the Macau Air Transport Company began seaplane services which lasted until 1961. Throughout the remainder of the 1960s until the mid-1990s, helicopters remained as the only way to reach Macau by air as the territory lacked its own airport at the time. On 13 September 1994, a joint venture between China National Aviation Corporation (Group) Limited, the Government of Macau, and Portuguese airline SAPSA led to the establishment of Macau Airways as the de facto flag carrier, and operations commenced in conjunction with the grand opening of Macau International Airport on 9 November 1995. The very first flights served Beijing and Shanghai using a newly leased Airbus A321 aircraft christened Jorge Álvares, the name of the first European explorer to reach China by sea during the Age of Discovery. The first pure-freighter service was launched on 7 October 2002, operating between Taipei and Shenzhen via Macau.

In 1999 the airline had 1.1 million passengers each year, with 80% of them originating from Taiwan.

Registration: B-MAA
Aircraft name: Jorge Álvares