Bertolt Flick, President and CEO of airBaltic: “We are very pleased that airBaltic is recognized Airline of the Year by the regional airline business community and media. airBaltic will continue its path of development and growth despite the challenging and complex market conditions.”

The ERA panel of experts had no doubt in choosing airBaltic as the Airline of the Year, and named the below reasons for their choice – airBaltic succeeded in developing a new business model from a point to point low cost operator into a network carrier; building an important international hub in Riga in a period of severe economic crisis in the Baltic markets.

The ERA Airline of the Year Award was introduced in 1991 and has since grown to become the most widely recognised industry award in this sector. The ERA Airline of the Year award recognizes success and achievement made by a member regional airline, considering the context and specifics of individual airline’s operating conditions.

One of the major assets of the ERA Airline of the Year Award is the quality, independence and fairness of its judging procedure. The judging panel comprises a mix of industry’s senior experts together with respected air transport journalists from all over Europe. Panellists are carefully selected for their knowledge and ability to assess achievements against the specific circumstances and constraints under which individual airlines operate.

ERA, is the principal body representing the interests of the intra-European air transport industry in Europe. It is an association of over 200 companies, representing the entire industry, including 60 airlines, 25 airports and over 100 associate and affiliate members comprising aircraft & engine manufacturers, international & regional airports and avionic suppliers & service providers. ERA’s Airline members are operating to over 390 European cities in 55 countries with 1,100 aircraft, and carry over 70 million passengers annually.

Airline of the Year has been previously awarded to airlines such as Aegean Airlines, Eurowings, Tyrolean Airways.

airBaltic is the largest carrier in the Baltic countries of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. airBaltic serves a network of over 60 destinations in Western Europe, Mediteranean Region, Scandinavia and former Russian territories. At its home base in Riga, Latvia, airBaltic has achieved constant passenger growth of over 30% in 2009 year-to-date, and recorded improving passenger load factors.

airBaltic in brief:

AIR BALTIC CORPORATION (airBaltic) is a joint stock company that was established in 1995. The primary shareholders are the Latvian state, with 52.6% of stock, and SIA Baltijas aviācijas sistēmas, with 47.2% of stock. The airBaltic fleet consists of 31 aircraft – ten Boeing 737-500, eight Boeing 737-300, two Boeing 757-200, and eleven Fokker 50 airplanes. airBaltic offers nonstop flights from three Baltic capital cities – Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn.