newstodate.aero
Apr 07, 2014 (newstodate): The times of hectic monthly growth rates in cargo volumes through Latvia's Riga Airport are over.
In March 2014 the airport handled a total of 3,016 tonnes of cargo and mail, of which cargo was 2,367 tonnes against 2,378 on March 2013
Together, cargo and mail volumes were thus up only 0.7 percent, y-o-y, in March 2014.
In the first quarter of 2013, the airport handled 7,529 tonnes of cargo and mail, down 8.8 percent, y-o-y, due to a steep drop in January 2014 when volumes were down 30.5 percent, y-o-y, to only 1,857 tonnes.
The sustained growth in volumes started in April 2012 when freighter flights by US carriers National Air Cargo and Kalitta Air were launched to fly supplies from Riga to the ISAF forces in Afghanistan, with up to three daily Boeing 747-400F flights on the route.
It remains to be seen if the airport will also be selected as a prime hub for the remaining ISAF forces as they cease operations in Afghanistan by the start of 2015 and materiel and equipment is being pulled out.
In March 2014 the airport handled a total of 3,016 tonnes of cargo and mail, of which cargo was 2,367 tonnes against 2,378 on March 2013
Together, cargo and mail volumes were thus up only 0.7 percent, y-o-y, in March 2014.
In the first quarter of 2013, the airport handled 7,529 tonnes of cargo and mail, down 8.8 percent, y-o-y, due to a steep drop in January 2014 when volumes were down 30.5 percent, y-o-y, to only 1,857 tonnes.
The sustained growth in volumes started in April 2012 when freighter flights by US carriers National Air Cargo and Kalitta Air were launched to fly supplies from Riga to the ISAF forces in Afghanistan, with up to three daily Boeing 747-400F flights on the route.
It remains to be seen if the airport will also be selected as a prime hub for the remaining ISAF forces as they cease operations in Afghanistan by the start of 2015 and materiel and equipment is being pulled out.