newstodate.aero
Jan 25, 2010 (newstodate): The issue of the formation of a pan-Baltic airline to serve Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania was not advanced further by the meeting last week of the the countries' prime ministers.
Expectations were that the prime ministers would make a decision on the future of the project, but the issue turned out not to be included on the agenda.
As the three prime ministers normally meet only once per quarter, the delay seems to bode ill for the concept of uniting the three markets behind a joint airline.
In the meantime Latvia's airBaltic contiunues to build up its already extensive route network out of Riga as well as Lithuania, while Estonia's Estonian Air is also expanding, albeit at a less dynamic level.
As Lithuania is still without a national carrier, the idea of a pan-Baltic solution has emerged more strongly in that market - but hopes for a joint solution seem to be dwindling.
Expectations were that the prime ministers would make a decision on the future of the project, but the issue turned out not to be included on the agenda.
As the three prime ministers normally meet only once per quarter, the delay seems to bode ill for the concept of uniting the three markets behind a joint airline.
In the meantime Latvia's airBaltic contiunues to build up its already extensive route network out of Riga as well as Lithuania, while Estonia's Estonian Air is also expanding, albeit at a less dynamic level.
As Lithuania is still without a national carrier, the idea of a pan-Baltic solution has emerged more strongly in that market - but hopes for a joint solution seem to be dwindling.