newstodate.aero
May 30, 2018 (newstodate): The announcement on May 28 of the order by the Latvian carrier for 30+30 Bombardier CS300 has roused speculations in the industry.
The carrier is amid a delivery scheme for 20 CS300 to be completed by 2019 as deliveries of the new aircraft start, running till 2025 when the fleet will be 50 aircraft, with 30 more options on the shelf.
According to the carrier, airBaltic will open up more flights to European destinations from not only Latvia, but also Estonia and Lithuania, but even so 50 aircraft would by far exceed the demand for air traffic to and from the small Baltic markets.
airBaltic is now starting on a new plan labeled Destination 2025 while offering no details on its content.
To some extent, Riga Airport may boost its role as a hub for airBaltic's traffic connecting Russia and other CIS markets with European destinations but this would hardly fill up the capacity of 50, not to speak of 80, Bombardier CS300 aircraft.
Expectations are therefore that airBaltic is maneuvering towards a partnership with a major carrier outside Europe to provide European feeder traffic for long-haul flights.
airBaltic may also be planning to set up a new ACMI subsidiary or an aircraft lease company under its new yet-unpublished strategy.
The carrier is amid a delivery scheme for 20 CS300 to be completed by 2019 as deliveries of the new aircraft start, running till 2025 when the fleet will be 50 aircraft, with 30 more options on the shelf.
According to the carrier, airBaltic will open up more flights to European destinations from not only Latvia, but also Estonia and Lithuania, but even so 50 aircraft would by far exceed the demand for air traffic to and from the small Baltic markets.
airBaltic is now starting on a new plan labeled Destination 2025 while offering no details on its content.
To some extent, Riga Airport may boost its role as a hub for airBaltic's traffic connecting Russia and other CIS markets with European destinations but this would hardly fill up the capacity of 50, not to speak of 80, Bombardier CS300 aircraft.
Expectations are therefore that airBaltic is maneuvering towards a partnership with a major carrier outside Europe to provide European feeder traffic for long-haul flights.
airBaltic may also be planning to set up a new ACMI subsidiary or an aircraft lease company under its new yet-unpublished strategy.