The Macau International Airport (MIA) will install two additional security channels later this year, adding up to eight in total, which will boost its security processing capacity by 80 percent, according to its operator, the Macau International Airport Company Limited (known by its Portuguese initials CAM).
CAM stated that the expansion project will make use of the space that was originally occupied by a duty-free shop, with each of the new “smart” channels able to perform tasks that include “automatic sorting of carry-on luggage” and “automatic tray retrieval.”
Airport security is ticketed to get new millimetre wave body scanners, while travellers will benefit from self-service pre-security check gates equipped with biometric technology.
MIA’s decision to upgrade its infrastructure followed an in-house assessment of queuing conditions in the departure area’s security zone during busy travel periods.
[See more: Passenger numbers at Macao’s airport surge by nearly 50 percent]
CAM said it has been working to improve the travel experience for consumers since last year.
“This initiative is designed to further enhance security efficiency and refine [MIA’s] security management system… improving the overall travel experience,” the airport operator said.
Aside from internal upgrades, MIA also launched a land reclamation project last November that is expected to expand the airport’s annual passenger capacity to 15 million by 2030.
Since the lifting of Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions in early 2023, Macao’s airport has seen its passenger and plane movement grow significantly.
Last year, the airport’s passenger volume jumped by 48 percent year-on-year, although that figure only represents around 80 percent of the total recorded in pre-pandemic 2019.
Correction: We previously reported that the Macau International Airport is adding eight new security channels. It is adding two to the six it currently has, totalling eight. We apologise for the error.
