Martin Gauss

Latvian national airline airBaltic will keep growing, it will not reduce the current number of destinations (60), and will also attract new cooperation partners one of which have also been found – Air France, the airBaltic president Martin Gauss told on Wednesday, March 21, to members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Latvia.

He admitted that previously – from 2003 until 2009 – the number of passengers serviced was growing rapidly, but the company couldn’t pride itself on profit. At the moment the increase in the number of passengers serviced has slowed down a little, while the company’s management focuses on improvement of financial indicators.

Gauss emphasized that prices for tickets will not be raised, but the company will use bigger planes with less fuel consumption which will allow to work more cost effectively.

airBaltic will not become an airline that only transports passengers from one point to another point, it will focus on servicing of connective flights. As the Riga airport is small, waiting time will be reduced even to 25 minutes. Similarly, airBaltic will focus more on business clients, next year adjusting schedule of flights more to this segment of passengers.

Assessing its competitors in other countries, Gauss admitted that airBaltic is considerably bigger, however the company is keeping an eye on what’s happening in neighbouring countries’ airports.

He also explained that in he nearest future it is not planned to launch flights form Riga to USA, however, it could be done within a ten-year period.

Gauss also told that it is still not decided which manufacturer – Airbus or Boeing – to prefer in the purchase of new planes, because the price is the most important.

BNN already reported that airBaltic will consolidate 469 million euro until 2016 by cutting expenses and enhancing revenue, according to the company’s business plan.

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