Airport, Latvia, Transport

Riga International Airport's board chairman Krisjanis Peters said at the maiden flight ceremony that he was pleased with the new airline's arrival at the Riga Airport. The airport is looking forward to a passenger turnover of 4 million this year, whereas the new flights offered by Germanwings attest to the airport's plans to offer flights to new destinations and attract new airlines to Riga.

Peters said that flights to 15 destinations would be launched this year, and three new airlines will start operating flights to Riga.

German Ambassador to Latvia Eberhard Schuppius said that good air connections was a very important precondition for a successful economic cooperation between Latvia and Germany. The Riga Airport's development has been very impressive, and the ambassador is pleased that the German airline will be able to contribute.

Germanwings representative Andreas Engel said that the German company was used to tough competition. Although many flights are already being operated between Riga and Germany, he is confident that Germanwings business in Riga will be successful.

It is planned that about 25,000 passengers will fly Germanwings from/to Riga, of which 60% could be nationals of Germany and 40% – residents of Latvia. Engel is confident that the passenger load factor on these flights will be over 80%.

Currently flights to seven cities in Germany are operated from Riga by five airlines.

Germanwings is the first airline to receive the Riga Airport's 40% tax break for two years, which will help the airline consolidate its position and further develop in Riga.

It is planned that the flights from Riga to Canada will be opened three times a week – Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Germanwings was founded in 2002, its sole owner is Eurowings Luftverkehrs AG. The airline employs more than a thousand people overall.

The airline's turnover in 2007 totaled almost EUR 630 million.