A NUMBER of airlines unable to get late night slots at Kai Tak or hampered by its midnight curfew will solve their problems by using the new 24-hour Macau airport when it opens next year, says the director of Macau's Civil Aviation authority, Jorge Guimaraes.
The Macau Government expects to have at least 20 air service agreements in place with countries throughout the world by the time its airport opens.
''This would mean around 24 airlines would be serving the airport in the beginning,'' said Mr Guimaraes.
The Macau authorities have had preliminary discussions with most of Europe's major airlines and some US airlines. Mr Guimaraes refused to give names or quote figures, but he said ''more than 10'' of the airlines were using Kai Tak airport.
However, the airlines were not looking to turn their backs on Hong Kong, he said: the territory would remain their main destination.
''Macau will complement Kai Tak. Because of our 24-hour operation, both passenger and cargo services, unable to get the late night departures from Hong Kong, will find Macau attractive. An added incentive is that we will also be cheaper than Hong Kong.