newstodate.aero
Feb 01, 2023 (newstodate): Year-on-year, airBaltic's cargo volumes increased by 11 percent in 2022, making the carrier a confident market share leader in Riga Airport.
-Ability to achieve growth in the current circumstances is a success, since the negative impact of Russia-Ukraine war on our cargo business in 2022 was huge and measured in millions, says Ilja Seliverstovs, airBaltic VP Cargo.
-On top of a number of route cuts, we suspended our Road Feeder Service to Minsk, which was running uninterruptedly for more than 15 years. I am sure we would have surpassed the revenue results of 2019, but instead we had to adapt to the new situation and look for new ways to do business.
-There is a widespread practice in the industry to take 2019 as a reference point, but it is a questionable approach in our case, as airBaltic is a different airline now. Focus has shifted from business to leisure destinations; we have firmly stepped into the wet-lease business and opened a new base in Tampere airport, which at the moment does not have the necessary infrastructure for cargo operations.
-Nevertheless, in 2022 we managed to achieve an all-time best revenue result in our mail business, which has been constantly increasing its share since the pandemic.
-The outlook is also positive – amongst 18 announced new destination for Summer 23 season, several have strong cargo potentials like Istanbul, Yerevan, Baku. So from the coming summer season we expect a boost in our cargo business as well, says Mr Seliverstovs.
-Ability to achieve growth in the current circumstances is a success, since the negative impact of Russia-Ukraine war on our cargo business in 2022 was huge and measured in millions, says Ilja Seliverstovs, airBaltic VP Cargo.
-On top of a number of route cuts, we suspended our Road Feeder Service to Minsk, which was running uninterruptedly for more than 15 years. I am sure we would have surpassed the revenue results of 2019, but instead we had to adapt to the new situation and look for new ways to do business.
-There is a widespread practice in the industry to take 2019 as a reference point, but it is a questionable approach in our case, as airBaltic is a different airline now. Focus has shifted from business to leisure destinations; we have firmly stepped into the wet-lease business and opened a new base in Tampere airport, which at the moment does not have the necessary infrastructure for cargo operations.
-Nevertheless, in 2022 we managed to achieve an all-time best revenue result in our mail business, which has been constantly increasing its share since the pandemic.
-The outlook is also positive – amongst 18 announced new destination for Summer 23 season, several have strong cargo potentials like Istanbul, Yerevan, Baku. So from the coming summer season we expect a boost in our cargo business as well, says Mr Seliverstovs.