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Air Baltic Travel/Flight Information
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Operating out of Riga in Latvia and Vilnius in Lithuania, airBaltic is one of the best-connected and fastest-growing operators in eastern Europe.
The Latvian state is the majority stakeholder in airBaltic, owning 52.6 per cent of the airline. SAS AB's 47.2 per cent interest was recently bought by the carrier's management for LVL 14 million (£18 million).
An impressive number of direct flights are offered from airBaltic's Latvian base, including London Gatwick, Moscow, Athens, Berlin, Brussels, Sharm el-Sheikh, Paris and Rome. The airline serves a less extensive network from Lithuania, with direct flights connecting passengers with Copenhagen, Milan, Munich, Riga, Stockholm and Tallinn.
Currently, 28 aircraft make up the airBaltic fleet, including two Boeing 757-200s, ten Boeing 737-500s and six Boeing 737-300s, as well as a number of Fokker-50s.
The airBaltic ethos
Headed by president and chief executive Bertolt Flick, airBaltic is a company with more than 1,200 employees, offering a professional yet simple and accessible service.
Through a wide range of codeshare agreements, the airline has built up a formidable list of partners, including Austrian Airlines, Georgian Airways and Brussels Airlines. It is also the sole representative of Singapore Airlines in Latvia.
Standing still is not on the agenda for airBaltic. The airline intends to continue to expand and aims to offer the most connections at the lowest prices on the market. None of this, however, will come at the expense of airBaltic's key priorities: safety, punctuality and service.
Then and now
Today, airBaltic is one of the best known brands in eastern Europe's aviation and tourism industries, a status boosted when it became the first airline in the region to take advantage of the EU's Open Skies agreement.
It has come a long way since its first flight arrived in Riga in 1995. Since that point, it has joined Star Alliance's EuroBonus programme, set up its Vilnius hub, launched an online check-in system and introduced e-ticketing, as well as hugely expanding its network. In 2008 it carried 29 per cent more passengers than in 2007, while January 2009 saw a 17 per cent year-on-year increase.
With management completing the acquisition of SAS's stake in the airline in February 2009, it would appear that the commitment to growth is as strong as ever.
"Even in this difficult economic climate, the airline's management believe in the company's future and are prepared to work actively on future development," commented Bertolt Flick after completing the deal.
Innovations
Recent times have seen airBaltic build on its existing foundations as well as pushing into new promotional and service-related areas. The airline now offers online check-in at Riga, Vilnius, Tallinn, Copenhagen, Billund, Stockholm, Oslo, Zurich, Vienna, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich, Hamburg and Hannover. Passengers looking to benefit from the service can check in up to two hours before the flights and even choose their own seats.
With its heart in Riga, it is perhaps unsurprising to see that many of airBaltic's promotions are focused on the Latvian capital. One development has been the introduction of the Airport Express shuttle service, which transports passengers to the centre of Riga, stopping at all the major hotels. The operator also provides tempting offers for Hotel Jurmala Spa and Baltic Beach Hotel, which are sure to interest those looking for a little pampering.
EuroBonus
Travellers who would like to be kept abreast of all the latest news and deals offered by airBaltic can sign up to the EuroBonus awards scheme. Members of the scheme can accrue points which can then be redeemed against flights, car rental and a host of other offers
If you want the very cheapest airfares that Air Baltic can offer, be sure to book through Major Travel.
Cheap Flights on Air Baltic. Book online Air Baltic fares.
Last updated: 21st August 2008
