Aviation is one of few service sectors of the economy where prices have not been increasing. Compared to 2002-levels, and adjusted for inflation, prices customers have to pay for air tickets are roughly half of what they used to be. This means that aviation has been able to substantially increase efficiency over the years. But it also highlights the challenges aviation has been facing during this time. Despite high fuel prices and increasing wage levels we have been able to continue lowering average fares, and to offer more tickets at rock-bottom levels – all by working more efficiently.

The key to success in our work is to listen carefully to our customers: to fulfil your demands, but also to anticipate your demands. This summer, we have started work on two major lines of development. One is the opening of a number of holiday destinations in the Mediterranean in cooperation with Tez Tour. Together we agreed on destinations and schedules, while Tez Tour takes a fixed number of seats on our flights. This reduces the financial risks for both, at the same time we are able to offer a wider choice of destinations to all our customers.

The other line of development focuses on our flights within the Baltic Sea region. In May, we opened a double daily connection from Riga to Liepaja, which immediately became a great success. Consequently, this coming June, we will open daily flights from Liepaja to both Hamburg and Copenhagen. Liepaja is a most charming city lying on the West coast of Latvia, with great potential for attracting business and tourism. Our new flights will also allow customers to reach easily Palanga and Klaipeda in Lithuania. Low local airport charges allow us to offer very attractive fares.

In addition, we are evaluating an extension of our flight program from Riga to Stockholm, Oslo and St. Petersburg. We have already increased the number of daily connections from Riga to Tallinn from three flights to four and from Riga to Vilnius from two to three. Also here we are looking at how to lower ticket prices.

We hope that by the middle of June it will be possible for you to check in on the Internet when flying airBaltic. This will help you to bypass airport queues. Particularly customers going for short day-trips will appreciate this new system. With the accession to Schengen, something not too far ahead, also passport control will become a thing of the past.

Enjoy your flight!

Bertolt Flick
President &CEO