In The News Posted July 1, 2022 Share Posted July 1, 2022 DALLAS – Fast-growing and dynamic, Air Baltic (BT) has been catching the attention of many, not just in Europe but globally. Until some years ago, you’d find the airline flying the classic series of the Boeing 737 and the Dash 8 but after a fleet clean-up, it’s now the world’s one and only airline to operate a sole fleet of the Airbus A220. The aircraft has allowed BT to fly longer and extend its network beyond continental Europe from its home base of Riga (RIX). I recently got to exchange some questions with Air Baltic’s CEO, Mr. Martin Gauss, who also pilots the A220 now and then, on how the airline is working out its network given the loss of the Russian and Ukrainian markets. On the sidelines for the near future, BT seems to be considering and looking into the Airbus A321XLR to cater to certain leisure destinations rather than rush into widebodies. Here’s the full interview. Photo: AirBaltic SG : Summer demand seems phenomenal, although it’s amidst an all-European airport staff crisis, How much of your network is facing difficulties due to this (given Amsterdam is a crucial connection hub for you)? MG : Due to eased Covid-19 restrictions worldwide, we see a noticeable overall increase in passenger demand. Among the most popular destinations are still various leisure ones, for example, in the Mediterranean region. However, we also see more and more travelers enjoying city breaks in major European capitals. Currently, airBaltic offers 100 routes from its home bases. Over the last couple of weeks, we have noticed disruptions due to staff shortages and strikes in various European hubs. These disruptions have mainly caused delays in flight departure times as in cases where there are larger queues at the airport, we try to wait for the remaining flight passengers as long as we can. If our passengers miss their flight due to staff shortage at the airport, we invite them to contact our Call Centre colleagues who will further assist and try to look for a suitable solution. Do you feel a slight pinch about losing out on Moscow and St. Petersburg due to the Ukraine crisis? Any new routes to cover these? Since the airspace closure, we have seen an impact of the canceled routes in Russia, especially in terms of the transfer passengers who used our home base in Riga as a transfer hub for further destinations within airBaltic’s network in Europe, CIS, and the Middle East. To keep reading, subscribe today and you'll never miss our exclusive content. Airways Premium Members get full access to incisive articles and analyses from aviation experts and industry insiders.Subscribe Now! Featured image: Martin Gauss CEO Air Baltic. Photo: Air Baltic View the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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