Macau, China, April 9, 2026 (Lusa) - Air Macau has attributed recent flight cancellations and route alterations to "market conditions and the rise in fuel prices", a company source told Lusa on Thursday.
Public broadcaster Teledifusão de Macau (TDM) previously reported that the territory's flag carrier has been cancelling flights and suspending routes, adding that passengers had been advised to contact the airline for assistance.
Cindy Lei, head of public relations for Air Macau, told Lusa that flight cancellations were a common occurrence across all airlines, adding that the company would follow standard procedures to contact and support passengers holding tickets for any cancelled services.
Data from the Macau International Airport website at approximately 12:00 p.m. local time (05:00 a.m. in Lisbon) showed that 13 flights scheduled for Thursday had been cancelled, including destinations to mainland China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Of these, six were operated by Air Macau, two by AirAsia, two by Shenzhen Airlines, another two by China Eastern and one by Xiamen Air.
On Tuesday, Malaysia-based airline AirAsia X, a subsidiary of AirAsia, announced new fuel surcharges that will lead to higher ticket prices and route restructuring due to the energy crisis resulting from the war in Iran.
AirAsia X joins a growing number of aviation groups that have raised fares in recent weeks due to energy insecurity, caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz amidst the conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran.
In China, airlines such as Xiamen Airlines, China United Airlines, Spring Airlines and China Southern Airlines have applied fuel surcharges, whilst in Japan, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) are expected to double them on international flights in June and July.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), fuel accounts for up to 30% of airline operating costs, meaning significant fluctuations in international oil prices have a substantial impact on the industry.
JW/MYAL // ADB.
Lusa
