To protect the public interest, the Macao SAR Government had requested for and obtained Air Macau’s consent to terminate its sub-concession contract with Viva Macau. This was announced today at a press conference held by the Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT), with the Civil Aviation Authority (AACM), the Consumer Council and related departments. The President of the Civil Aviation Authority, Mr Chan Weng Hong, said the Government was greatly concerned with the negative impacts of the Viva Macau incident towards passengers and the community. Since the Viva Macau flight failed to operate due to fuel payment issues on 26 March (Friday) the Government had tried to contact the airline and urge it to fulfill its commercial responsibilities and obligations to passengers, he said. The Government had tried its utmost to urge Viva Macau to co-operate in order to find a solution that meets with the satisfaction of the parties involved, but by noon today the carrier had not co-operated. Mr Chan said Viva Macau had been extremely unco-operative: it did not provide the necessary information when the Government tried to assist stranded passengers, such as the name list of passengers, which resulted in the slow progress in helping the affected passengers. Due to Viva Macau’s failure in fulfilling its commercial responsibilities and repeatedly infringement of public interests, the Macao SAR Government, after very careful consideration of the negative impact to Macao’s tourism industry, requested Air Macau to terminate the sub-concession contract with Viva Macau in order to protect public interests. Air Macau consented to the request of the Government. Following the termination of the sub-concession contract of VIVA Macau by Air Macau, VIVA Macau is no longer compliant with the basic requirements for public air transport services. In consequence of this, the Civil Aviation Authority revoked its Air Operator Certificate. The Government would also, through legal means, follow up on the 200 million pacatas loan it had granted to Viva Macau between 2008 and 2009. The Co-ordinator of Tourism Crisis Management Office, Mr João Manuel Costa Antunes, said the Government would continue to help Macao residents stranded overseas and foreign visitors stranded in Macao. For those in transit, the public security authority would extent the period of stay of their visa for them to arrange alternative flights -- 15 days for People’s Republic of China passport holders and 30 days for holders of foreign passports. The President of the Executive Committee of the Consumer Council, Mr Wong Hon Neng, said as the incident involved consumers, the Council would do its utmost to assist those affected. The Council had dispatched its officers to the information desk of Macau Government Tourist Office at Macau International Airport and to follow up on complaints and inquiries of the affected visitors, said Mr Wong.
