Pärgmäe expects airBaltic to keep flying in January

Tallinn Airport board member Eero Pärgmäe said on Thursday that airBaltic is unlikely to suspend flights in the coming months, but the Latvian airline needs to provide passengers with more reassurance about its future, ERR reported.

Speaking on the television programme Terevisioon, Pärgmäe said airBaltic remains Tallinn Airport’s largest carrier, with a 29 percent market share. Four of the airline’s aircraft continue to be based in Tallinn, and its flights are operating as scheduled.

He said passengers considering airBaltic tickets for January should wait for further explanations from the airline. Recent messages about its situation have been more positive, Pärgmäe said, but more such messages are needed to restore passengers’ confidence.

At the same time, he noted that booking windows have become shorter, with people increasingly buying tickets one or two months in advance. This means January bookings may not yet provide a clear indication of demand, he said.

Pärgmäe said airBaltic’s decision to reduce its fleet and cancel some flights was moving in the right direction. The Baltic market does not need more than 35 aircraft, he said, adding that the key question was whether the measures had been taken in time.

Latvia’s government has approved another 30 million euro support package for the airline. Pärgmäe said further measures would probably be needed to help airBaltic get through the winter, which is a loss-making period for European aviation, while most profits are made during the summer.

He also pointed to Latvia’s parliamentary elections on October 3, saying the current government had resolved the immediate issue but further decisions would be needed in the coming months.

Pärgmäe said Tallinn Airport had experienced an exceptionally strong summer, with passenger volumes higher than ever before. Earlier forecasts that a shortage of aviation fuel in Europe could halt airBaltic flights by the end of August had not materialised.