Riga International Airport

During the last six years of independence, Riga International Airport has tried to promote the development of air transport. It has cared for the Airport's modernization, improvement of services and their quality and moved towards the standards of developed countries. Riga should become an important transit centre in international air traffic.

It has several preconditions. Riga International Airport is the largest in the Baltic countries. Scopes of services in Riga are evidently larger than those of Tallinn and Vilnius Airports. There is a tendency to have a union in the Baltics, since the citizens of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia can travel freely without visas. Tourists usually need only one visa to visit all the three countries. It is shorter to travel from Riga to the important cities of Lithuania or Estonia than it would take from Vilnius or Tallinn. Therefore Riga's Airport is preferred by citizens from neighbouring countries.

airport_3.jpg (19804 bytes)
Air freight from the rest of the world

Riga International Airport is constantly fulfilling the conception of development. The first project which was also the largest was the rehabilitation of the runway and taxi-ways and also the replacement of the airfield's lighting system which was accomplished in 1994. It was financed by the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development with a grant of 10.5 million USD. Modern passenger check-in

counters, luggage conveyors and flight information display systems have been installed. New shops were also been opened at the air terminal. The business lounge the "Solo Club" is a place for business class passengers to relax or work before their departures. The original design of the lounge creates a pleasant atmosphere which can also be found in the VIP centre. Changes are taking place constantly at Riga Airport. Passengers and clients do not feel like they are in a strange place any longer.

airport_2.jpg (21818 bytes)
"Always pleasant feeling" in the Solo Club

It is important that these endeavours have been successful. The numbers of passengers have increased by more than 60 percent if compared with the year 1993. The world's most famous airlines are clients of the airport. These include Aeroflot, British Airways, CSA, Finnair, Lufthansa, SAS and the national airline The Air Baltic which continues to strengthen its position in the air transport business of Europe.

It is clear that with the increase of economical activities in Latvia, the airport's operations will become more intensive, and the number of airline passengers will increase. Now, the airport's cargo service performs all the necessary operations connected with export, import and transit of cargo. Because of the increase of handled cargo there will be a need for a bigger and more modern cargo terminal. Therefore, it will be the next task to construct a new cargo terminal, extend the runway, expand the current passenger terminal and also construct a new one.

The main principle of Riga International Airport's development is to increase its scope of services.

BOOK A HOTEL BY RIGA AIRPORT