The Macao operations of Swiss aviation company TAG have passed a stage 3 safety audit conducted by the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling, Asian Aviation reports.
Stage 3 is the highest level that can be obtained and indicates a sustainable safety culture is in place for workers and customers. The certification, just five years after TAG arrived in Macao, makes the local operation one of the newest facilities globally to make the grade.
TAG Macau FBO’s general manager Rita Tam said her team was “thrilled” with the achievement.
[See more: Private jet travel picks up as casinos roll out the red carpet for foreign punters]
“TAG Macau FBO [is] one of the youngest FBO to reach this pinnacle. This accomplishment reflects our team’s pursuit of excellence and unwavering commitment to safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction,” she told Asian Aviation.
In Macao, TAG provides a number of business aviation services including passenger handling, VIP and business-executive amenities, on-site customs and immigration clearance, flight planning and chartering, along with aircraft maintenance and servicing.
The Covid-19 pandemic, and a steep reduction in the number of VIP gambling junkets to Macao, have significantly impacted private jet travel. During the first 10 months of 2023, there were just 734 private charter flights flying in and out of Macao – about 30 percent of the numbers that were reached during the same period in pre-pandemic 2019.