newstodate.aero
MAY 14, 2004 (newstodate): The startling increases in cargo volumes at Riga Airport are driven by "artificial traffics".
Among the eye-catching figures, earlier reported by newstodate, are increases in March by 238.1 percent, and in April by 195.4 percent.
-There are basically three categories of air cargo at Riga Airport. One is cargo on scheduled flights, another is cargo on the DHL/SAS Cargo freighter between Riga and Copenhagen, and the daily UPS service between Riga and Tallinn. Volumes of both of these are basically stable, and have not increased lately, says Olegs Korse, Riga International Airport's cargo handling company that employs a total of 15 staff.
-What has boomed over the recent period is charter cargo traffic from China destined for Russia. Since the limitations on direct cargo flights between China and Russia, Russian imports on IL-76 aircraft from China have been diverted via Krasjnoyarsk to Riga where iloads are put on trucks and taken into Russia, he says.
Mr Korshe says that out of 1,413 tonnes of cargo imports in Riga in March, 1,108 tonnes were in this third category, and in April out of 1,740 tonnes of cargo imports 1,392 tonnes were transferred to Russia. This corresponds to 78 and 80 percent, respectively.
-This traffic is "articifial" in the sense that it is here today, and may be gone somewhere else tomorrow depending on a number of factors outside the control of the airport, he says.
Among the eye-catching figures, earlier reported by newstodate, are increases in March by 238.1 percent, and in April by 195.4 percent.
-There are basically three categories of air cargo at Riga Airport. One is cargo on scheduled flights, another is cargo on the DHL/SAS Cargo freighter between Riga and Copenhagen, and the daily UPS service between Riga and Tallinn. Volumes of both of these are basically stable, and have not increased lately, says Olegs Korse, Riga International Airport's cargo handling company that employs a total of 15 staff.
-What has boomed over the recent period is charter cargo traffic from China destined for Russia. Since the limitations on direct cargo flights between China and Russia, Russian imports on IL-76 aircraft from China have been diverted via Krasjnoyarsk to Riga where iloads are put on trucks and taken into Russia, he says.
Mr Korshe says that out of 1,413 tonnes of cargo imports in Riga in March, 1,108 tonnes were in this third category, and in April out of 1,740 tonnes of cargo imports 1,392 tonnes were transferred to Russia. This corresponds to 78 and 80 percent, respectively.
-This traffic is "articifial" in the sense that it is here today, and may be gone somewhere else tomorrow depending on a number of factors outside the control of the airport, he says.