newstodate.aero
APR 30, 2009 (newstodate): The Latvian carrier airBaltic is heating up the issue of construction of a new passenger terminal at Riga Airport to handle the steep growth in passenger, especially transfer passenger volumes over the coming years.
Last year a tender for construction of a new passenger terminal was opened and won by the Turkish company TAV, but political instability in Latvia makes the eventual outcome of the process hard to predict.
TAV is currently in negotiations with the Latvian state and Riga Airport, and a final decision is expected by July 7, 2009.
-We hope very much that the decision will be made to go ahead with the planned project. But if not, airBaltic is willing to seek other ways to realise the plans for the new terminal, said Bertolt Flick, airBaltic president & CEO at the airport conference in Riga organised to put pressure on the political process.
-Looking at the experience from other airports in Europe, I could envisage the carrier to team up with other parties, including TAV, to secure the construction that is sorely needed, said Mr Flick.
The new terminal would add the capacity to serve another five mio passengers per year, doubling the number of aircraft stands and gates and include an automated baggage handling system as well as doubling the check-in areas and desks from the currently 31 positions.
Riga Airport has seen it share of transfer passengers increasing from 11 percent in 2008 to 55 percent in Q1 2009, and expects total passenger volumes in 2009 to reach about four mio passengers in 2009 - far beyond the design capacity of the esisting terminal.
Last year a tender for construction of a new passenger terminal was opened and won by the Turkish company TAV, but political instability in Latvia makes the eventual outcome of the process hard to predict.
TAV is currently in negotiations with the Latvian state and Riga Airport, and a final decision is expected by July 7, 2009.
-We hope very much that the decision will be made to go ahead with the planned project. But if not, airBaltic is willing to seek other ways to realise the plans for the new terminal, said Bertolt Flick, airBaltic president & CEO at the airport conference in Riga organised to put pressure on the political process.
-Looking at the experience from other airports in Europe, I could envisage the carrier to team up with other parties, including TAV, to secure the construction that is sorely needed, said Mr Flick.
The new terminal would add the capacity to serve another five mio passengers per year, doubling the number of aircraft stands and gates and include an automated baggage handling system as well as doubling the check-in areas and desks from the currently 31 positions.
Riga Airport has seen it share of transfer passengers increasing from 11 percent in 2008 to 55 percent in Q1 2009, and expects total passenger volumes in 2009 to reach about four mio passengers in 2009 - far beyond the design capacity of the esisting terminal.