Riga International Airport (RIX)-based airBaltic saw a dramatic increase in passenger numbers last month compared to the same period in 2020. In a statement issued on December 10, 2021, the Latvian national flag carrier reported that passenger numbers were up 265% in November compared to the same month in 2020.
During November, airBaltic says it carried 157,200 passengers while performing 2,740 flights which was a significant increase when compared to a year earlier. While these figures point to a recovery in aviation, airline executives are worried that the new Omicron strain of the coronavirus might see governments reintroducing stricter border controls and quarantines.
More challenges still lie ahead for aviation
When speaking about the increase in passenger traffic during November, airBaltic Chief Executive Officer Martin Gauss said:
"We have seen very strong results in the autumn months, and we are on a path to recovery from the worst part of the pandemic. However, there are more challenges ahead for the aviation industry due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns. We are flexibly responding to these challenges to ensure connectivity for our passengers throughout Europe and beyond."
Regarding the 15-minute flight punctuality indicator during November, airBaltic achieved a level of 90.1%. Out of the 2,740 flights, more than 90 out of 100 departed on time or within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure time.
Figures for November 2021 compared to November 2020:
- November 2021 passengers: 157,200 | November 2020 passengers: 43,100. Difference: +265%
- November 2021 flights: 2,740 | November 2020 flights: 1,000. Difference: +174%
- November 2021 15-minute flight punctuality indicator: 90.1% | November 2020: 97.2%. Difference: -7.0%
Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.
About airBaltic
airBaltic was established in 1995 to help connect Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to the outside world. Its primary shareholder is the state of Latvia, with a 96.14% interest in the airline. The other 3.86% belongs to Danish businessman Lars Thuesen. According to the aviation statistics and data website ch-aviation, airBaltic operates an all-Airbus fleet comprising 32 Airbus A220-300 aircraft with an average age of 2.6 years.
Since its inception, airBaltic has received numerous awards for excellence and customer service, with airline rating company Skytrax awarding airBaltic five stars for its COVID-19 procedures.
Currently, airBaltic flies to more than 70 destinations from Riga International Airport (RIX) and recently added the winter sun destinations of Dubai and Tenerife to its global network.
Other airBaltic news
Earlier this month, airBaltic reported that following a heavy snowstorm, an Airbus A220-300 with the registration number YL-CSE slid off the runway after landing at Riga International Airport (RIX).
The incident happened on December 3 to airBaltic flight number BT 102 from Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) to Riga. In Latvia, it had been snowing on and off for several days, and despite the ground crew's best efforts to keep the airport open, the accumulation of snow was piling up.
The four-year-old aircraft landed safely, but when taxing off the runway skidded and ended up in a bank of snow. None of the 44 passengers and crew members aboard the plane were injured. When speaking about the incident in a company statement airBaltic CEO, Martin Gauss said:
"We will perform a thorough investigation of the incident, and on behalf of airBaltic, I thank all the involved response services for their professional and immediate action."
Have you flown with airBaltic? If so, please tell us what you think of the airline and how you like the Airbus A220 in the comments.