Baltic States – CIS, Latvia, Transport

Baghdasarov said that many passengers had to use transit flights via Vienna and Moscow to travel to/from Riga and Yerevan. Latvia's accession to the Schengen area will also prompt Armenians' interest in the new flights.

The number of flights from Yerevan to Riga could be increased in the future, Baghdasarov said. He is confident that each flight between Yerevan and Riga will be sold out next year already.

Riga International Airport Chairman of the Board Krisjanis Peters said that he is pleased with new airlines offering flights to and from Riga. The airport's passenger turnover this year is projected at four million, and, to achieve it, the airport is working on attracting new airlines. This year the airport is planning to introduce flights to 15 new destinations overall, three airlines have started operating flights from Riga so far this year.

Peters hopes that the flights between Riga and Yerevan will help develop business and tourism connections between Latvia and Armenia.

Earlier yesterday, Baghdasarov had a meeting with the heads of the Latvian national airline airBaltic, and said that both companies could develop successful cooperation. Armavia is interested in entering the Northern Europe market, and the possible flights to Norway, Sweden and Finland. On the other hand, Armavia operates direct flights to Egypt, Turkey, Thailand and other countries in the east, which could be of interest to passengers in the Baltic countries.

In the coming months, Armavia is planning to launch direct flights from Yerevan to Los Angeles in the United States, Baghdasarov added.

Armavia Director General Norair Belluyan said that twenty years ago flights between Riga and Yerevan were in high demand. Belluyan is pleased that the flights will be resumed now, and he believes that they will promote tourism and business relations between Latvia and Armenia.

Armavia in cooperation with airBaltic will offer three flights a week from Riga to Yerevan.

Armavia is Armenia's national airline and the leader on the Armenian aviation market, it was founded in 1996 by Aviafin and Mika Armenia Trading.

The airline employs more than 550 people overall, it offers flights from Armenia to Russia and C.I.S. countries as well as to Europe and Middle East.

Armavia performs more than 70 regular flights to thirteen countries each week.

Armavia is the third foreign airline to start flying to Riga this year. At the beginning of this year, Lithuania's FlyLAL started operating flights to Riga, and at the beginning of May, Germany's low-cost airline Germanwings launched flights between Riga and Cologne.