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This is a technical decision, because we want to operate flights also to the so-called third countries outside the European Union (EU), Gauss said, adding that basically the idea is to fly to Kyiv, which is why airBaltic needs the branch in Lithuania. "There are no other reasons for this decision," Gauss said. However, airBaltic still has to receive permission for flights from Lithuania to the Ukrainian capital. 

The airBaltic branch in Lithuania was registered at the beginning of November. The airline's representatives informed BNS that during this winter season, airBaltic wants to provide flights from Lithuania to eight destinations:  Amsterdam, Berlin, Kyiv, London, Munich, Oslo and Paris, as well as Riga.

According to information from Lithuania's airport operator Lietuvos Oro Uostai, flights from Lithuania are currently allowed to such non-EU destinations as Belarus, Ukraine and Turkey, with Israel expected to be added in January. 

Meanwhile, the Latvian Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) each week revises a list of countries to which regular passenger services are allowed. These countries are members of the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA)  However, flights to European countries that are not members of this bloc are not allowed.

As a result of the coronavirus crisis, the turnover of Latvia's airBaltic national carrier airBaltic shrank 63.6% in the first half of 2020 to EUR 78.713 million, while the group's loss expanded sevenfold to EUR 184.77 million. airBaltic turned over EUR 503.281 million in 2019, a 23.1% increase against 2018, and sustained a EUR 7.729 million loss in contrast to a profit made year before, the company's audited statement shows.