Air Baltic

Riga

Air Baltic (proper spelling airBaltic ) is a Latvian state airline based in Riga and based on the Riga airport.

History

Founding and first years

Air Baltic emerged as a new Latvian national airline of the merger of the Baltic International private and state Latavio -. Latvian Airlines in September 1995 in the new company of the Latvian state was involved with a majority stake of 51%. Other shareholders were Baltic International USA, SAS Scandinavian Airlines and two investment companies. The first aircraft to the new company was a Saab 340, which was followed by three Avro RJ70 in the spring of 1996. The acquisition of the former Latavio routes could be carried out only after the lengthy processing this airline in 1998, which is why Air Baltic was until then limited in their strategic development opportunities.

After the departure of the Baltic International USA at the end of 1998 SAS took over in January 1999, whose shares and transferred some Fokker 50 for use on the routes from Riga to Copenhagen and Stockholm. After the restructuring of the Latvian State held 52.6 % and Baltic Aviation Systems (BAS ), 47.2% of the shares.

From the European Regions Airline Association (ERA ) Air Baltic was voted Airline of the Year 2009/10. Air Transport World, the most important magazine in the industry, has awarded the Air Baltic 2010 Phoenix Award in recognition of the successful restructuring.

2008 came two Boeing 757-200, which were previously in Audeli Air Iberia in use, to the fleet. The two aircraft were equipped with winglets and individually discharged in 2011 and 2012 on TonleSap Airlines.

In June 2010, a new base in Tallinn was opened, airBaltic was the first time in all of the Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - represented. However, since both were in Tallinn and Vilnius, where previously there was a base, all routes are deleted except for the connections to Riga and closed these bases again.

Financial affair and nationalization

2011 became Air Baltic increasingly Liquiditätssprobleme. However, the Latvian government made ​​the grant of a loan to increase the share capital, depending on the withdrawal of the CEO Bertolt Flick, were thrown on the non-transparent methods. In June 2011, Flick accused at a press conference for its part the government to reduce the value of the company by a smear campaign in order to sell as the state shares before the general elections to the 11th Saeima can. In September, there was an affront, as current several flights Air Baltic were canceled. Among those affected was the Latvian Andris Berzins President, who after his first visit to the European Union in Brussels had a day involuntary stay. On 16 September, the day before the parliamentary elections, there was, according to a spokesman for the principal owner BAS finally reached an agreement on the money grants.

On September 21, 2011 Air Baltic reported as a result of a deficit of about 84 million euros, while maintaining the flight operations for bankruptcy. On 27 November, the Latvian government announced a proportional increase of the share capital. The state should be paid 57.6 million Lat BAS invest 50 million Lat. One of the conditions of the agreement included, among other things, the resignation flicks from the management. Early December 2011, the Latvian government exercised its option to purchase from and took 99.8 % stake in Air Baltic from BAS. The company was thus nationalized.

In February 2012, airBaltic has been awarded by FlightStats, the most punctual regional airline in Europe.

For fall 2013, the Company announced the withdrawal of its last Fokker 50. In the medium term, the fleet should consist exclusively of the two Bombardier Dash 8Q -400 models and CS300.

Destinations

Air Baltic operates from Riga cities and leisure destinations across Europe and the Middle East. As of December 2013, a long -haul flight from Riga to Abu Dhabi is offered. Be Flew example, Paris, Helsinki, Tenerife, Baku and Tel Aviv. In Germany, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich are driven.

Fleet

As of October 2013, the fleet of 27 aircraft from Air Baltic is with a mean age of 12.9 years:

  • 08 Boeing 737-300 ( with winglets retrofitted 6 )
  • 05 Boeing 737-500
  • 02 Boeing 757-200 ( a decommissioned)
  • 12 Bombardier Dash 8Q -400
IATA-Code International Civil Aviation Organization airport code Insolvency Right of first refusal Bombardier Inc. Association of European Airlines Adria Airways Air Malta Air Serbia Alitalia British Airways Brussels Airlines Cargolux Croatia Airlines Cyprus Airways Czech Airlines Icelandair Luxair TAROM
36976
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