Airport, Baltic, Good for Business, Latvia, Tourism, Transport
International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics
Wednesday, 24.04.2024, 12:13
Riga Airport handled 5.4 mln passengers in 2016
Last year, Riga Airport handled 5.4 mln passengers, which is
almost 5% more than in 2015. In a monthly breakdown, the greatest number of
passengers was handled in August, when more than half a million passengers
chose Riga Airport for their trip. Of the total number of passengers, more than
50% were carried by the national airline airBaltic, 18.3% - by Ryanair,
and 8.5% - by WizzAir.
“Growth figures
show that the targeted business strategy of Riga Airport has brought good
results. Airport's last year's extensive investment in the modernisation of the
aerodrome infrastructure, expanding the passenger terminal and offering new
services and facilities for passengers, has raised the Airport's
competitiveness and created a favourable business environment for airlines,
also for the development of the strategically important long-distance flights.
The task for the coming years is to develop the infrastructure for promoting
growth of passenger and cargo traffic, to make Riga Airport the leader not only
in the Baltic countries, but in the entire Baltic Sea Region," says
Ilona Līce, Chairman of the Board of
Riga International Airport.
London, Moscow, Oslo, Frankfurt and Helsinki are still the
most popular destinations for passengers travelling from Riga Airport. Compared
to 2015, last year the most significant growth was recorded in routes from Riga
to Berlin (+84.7%), St. Petersburg (+42.8%), Kiev (+20.7%), Moscow (+18.5%),
Stockholm (+10.3%), Amsterdam (+9.8%), Tallinn (+ 9.3%), Milan (+8.8%) and
London (+8.3%).
In 2016, the number of transfer/transit passengers rose by
15.3% and accounted for 27.3% of the total number of passengers handled last
year, thus demonstrating the important role of Riga Airport as a regional
transit hub in the Baltics. Tallinn, Vilnius, Moscow, Helsinki and St.
Petersburg were the most popular transit destinations travelling via Riga
Airport.
With the volume of cargo handled increasing by 4.8%, the
Airport also managed to expand its air cargo service market in 2016.
Airport's Ground Handling Department (RIX GH), which
provides ground handling services to the majority of passenger airlines, air
cargo carriers and part of business aviation aircraft operating at Riga
Airport, reached a new punctuality record of 99.92%, which is among the highest
rates in Europe.
In 2016, the Airport experienced a historic moment for the
entire aviation industry, becoming the first home to the new airBaltic Bombardier
CS300 aircraft.
The number of destinations from Riga Airport will keep increasing
also in 2017, offering new flights to nine destinations: Tampere, Aberdeen,
Stavanger, Geneva, Catania, Gothenburg, Odessa, Madrid and Copenhagen. This
will allow the Airport to attract new passengers, strengthening its leading
position in the region, improving the connections of the three Baltic States to
Western European and Eastern markets, facilitating economic growth and creating
new jobs.
The new North Pier was the most significant infrastructure
project in 2016. It is a continuation for the ambitious Airport infrastructure
development projects aimed at raising passenger comfort and the quality of
services offered to both travellers and business partners. The new pier is
placed on two floors offering 19 new boarding sectors, three airbridges, new
stores and cafés, playgrounds for children, as well as a spacious and
comfortable waiting area. The total area of the North Pier is 9 828.39 m2,
but together with the premises for arriving passengers and the gallery
connecting the terminals built in the 1st stage - 17 340 m2. Thanks to the
facilities of the new pier, Riga International Airport is ready to offer
improved quality services for long-haul flights, both technically and in terms
of passenger comfort. Also passengers have highly valued the services provided
at Riga Airport, in 2016 rating them with 3.98 out of 5 points. In terms of
service quality, this ranks Riga Airport the 4th in the group of European
airports handling 5 - 15 million passengers (Airport Service Quality Survey of
the Airports Council International).
In 2017 and in the coming years, Riga Airport will continue
work on the development of the terminal building, expanding the check-in hall,
the baggage claim and sorting areas, security control area, as well as
constructing a multi-storey car park and a connection to the "Rail
Baltica" Riga Airport station. As reported before, the memorandum signed
by "Rail Baltica" project promoter Eiropas Dzelzceļa Līnijas Ltd and Riga International Airport this
summer provides that construction of "Rail Baltica" RIX station and
its full integration within the Airport territory should be completed by 2022.
In 2016, Riga Airport also made a significant contribution
to uniting the aviation industry. The Airport initiated establishment of the
Latvian aviation sector cooperation platform – the Aviation Association of
Latvia. Owing to this initiative, industry representatives can now meet on a
regular basis to discuss and address different challenges thus promoting more
efficient development of the sector.