Latvian AirBaltic develops plan to resume flights to Ukraine

Latvian airline AirBaltic has prepared a plan to resume flights to Ukraine as soon as the situation is deemed safe.

Source: AirBaltic CEO Martin Gauss in an interview with Bloomberg

Details: According to Gauss, the company has developed a strategy to restart operations as soon as Ukrainian airspace reopens.

AirBaltic intends to shift capacities from other routes to Ukraine as soon as it becomes safe, Gauss stated. The airline also plans to implement overnight stops in Ukraine.

Gauss emphasised the company’s readiness, saying, "We can be flying tonight if it’s safe."

The reopening of airspace and airports would provide AirBaltic with a critical market, given the strong demand for travel to Ukraine, Gauss added. Additionally, the airline would benefit from crossing Ukrainian airspace to take more direct routes southward from Latvia to destinations such as Dubai and Greece.

Gauss noted that while the company has a plan in place, it has not factored it into official forecasts due to the uncertainty surrounding the reopening of Ukrainian airspace.

Background:

• Flights to one of Ukraine’s airports – either Lviv or Boryspil – may resume by late January 2025.
• Ukraine’s Aviation Authority has stated it is 95% ready to restore flights, though ensuring passenger safety remains the key factor.

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