newstodate.aero
Oct 08, 2010 (newstodate): The serious rift, seemingly healed by a mutual agreement between the parties Riga Airport and the Latvian carrier airBaltic earlier this year, has opened again.
The airport has set noon today as deadline for the carrier's payment of almost seven mio euro in debts to the airport. If this deadline is not met, the airport will cut off airBaltic's operations from 4 p.m.
The two parties earlier filed lawsuits against each other but agreed to reach an amiable solution, hard pressed by the country's government. This agreement has now broken down, it seems.
Not surprisingly, the two parties hold detrimental opinions on the issue.
airBaltic's point is that the airport is supporting Ryanair's operations through very low charges, while airBaltic has to bear the heavy burdens.
-Our previous assumption was that Riga Airport charged airBaltic more than double the fees that Ryanair was paying per passenger serviced. According to leaked documents, it appears that Ryanair was paying only 1 Euro per aircraft serviced at Riga airport, while airBaltic was charged up to 500 Euros. It is unacceptable that a foreign carrier has and still receives preferential treatment paying hundreds of times lower fees than airBaltic, says Bertolt Flick, airBaltic President & CEO.
-Moreover, in early 2010, Riga airport doubled the ground handling fees to airBaltic, increased transit passenger fees, landing fees and introduced a completely new infrastructure fee. We decided to suspend our payments to Riga Airport and demanded the situation be resolved.
-We have also proposed to Riga Airport that in the future airBaltic makes pre-payments for services received. airBaltic urges that in the meantime independent auditors conduct an objective analysis of the tariffs and charges at Riga Airport. airBaltic is not prepared to cover 90% of the costs of Riga Airport, says Mr Flick in a statement.
The airport has set noon today as deadline for the carrier's payment of almost seven mio euro in debts to the airport. If this deadline is not met, the airport will cut off airBaltic's operations from 4 p.m.
The two parties earlier filed lawsuits against each other but agreed to reach an amiable solution, hard pressed by the country's government. This agreement has now broken down, it seems.
Not surprisingly, the two parties hold detrimental opinions on the issue.
airBaltic's point is that the airport is supporting Ryanair's operations through very low charges, while airBaltic has to bear the heavy burdens.
-Our previous assumption was that Riga Airport charged airBaltic more than double the fees that Ryanair was paying per passenger serviced. According to leaked documents, it appears that Ryanair was paying only 1 Euro per aircraft serviced at Riga airport, while airBaltic was charged up to 500 Euros. It is unacceptable that a foreign carrier has and still receives preferential treatment paying hundreds of times lower fees than airBaltic, says Bertolt Flick, airBaltic President & CEO.
-Moreover, in early 2010, Riga airport doubled the ground handling fees to airBaltic, increased transit passenger fees, landing fees and introduced a completely new infrastructure fee. We decided to suspend our payments to Riga Airport and demanded the situation be resolved.
-We have also proposed to Riga Airport that in the future airBaltic makes pre-payments for services received. airBaltic urges that in the meantime independent auditors conduct an objective analysis of the tariffs and charges at Riga Airport. airBaltic is not prepared to cover 90% of the costs of Riga Airport, says Mr Flick in a statement.