Latvia Riga Airport Overview and Operations Guide

Riga Airport is a major hub in the Baltic region, serving over 7 million passengers annually. It's located about 10 kilometers west of Riga's city center.

The airport has two terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Terminal 1 is the main terminal, while Terminal 2 is used for charter and low-cost flights.

Riga Airport is a base for airBaltic, Latvia's national carrier, and offers flights to over 100 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and Scandinavia.

The airport's operations are managed by Latvian Air Traffic, which is responsible for air traffic control, navigation, and other services.

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Riga Airport is a fast-growing Northern European air traffic hub, connecting the Baltic countries to Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus.

The airport provides excellent connectivity with nearly 100 destinations during the summer season and more than 80 – during the winter season. You can view all the available destinations on the airport's website.

In 2024, Riga Airport served 7.12 million passengers, making it a significant transportation hub in the region.

Here are some key statistics about Riga Airport's passenger traffic:

Riga is the metropolis of the Baltics and the third largest North-European city with rich history, culture, nature landscapes, and architectural pearls.

Latvia Riga Airport boasts a well-equipped infrastructure to handle various aircraft types. The airport has a customs facility, immigration services, and a passenger terminal, making it a convenient hub for travelers.

The airport also offers a range of fuel services, including JET A-1 and AVGAS 100, as well as single-point refueling and air starter units. Additionally, it has ground power units, cargo handling services, and passenger transportation to the airfield.

Here are the details of the airport's fuel services:

The airport also has a range of handling equipment, including elevators, hi-loaders, and loading ramps. The storage area is managed by several companies, including Aviation Cargo Transit Services (ACTS), Global Ground, Baltic Cargo Centre, AG Handling, and KOLL.

The airport infrastructure is a crucial aspect of any airfield's operations. It's designed to support the safe and efficient handling of aircraft, passengers, and cargo.

A customs facility is available, ensuring that all necessary procedures are followed when arriving or departing from the airport. Immigration services are also provided, making it easy for travelers to clear customs and immigration.

The terminal building is a key part of the airport infrastructure, offering a range of amenities and services for passengers. Single Point Refueling is also available, making it convenient for pilots to refuel their aircraft.

A passenger terminal is available, providing a comfortable and convenient space for passengers to wait for their flights. Cargo terminals are also available, allowing for the efficient handling of cargo.

Pax transport to the airfield is available, making it easy for passengers to get to and from their flights. Ground handling services are also provided, ensuring that aircraft are handled safely and efficiently.

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Control towers are available at the airport, providing a safe and efficient means of air traffic control. Weather facilities are also available, providing pilots with up-to-date weather information.

A range of fuel services are available, including JET A-1 fuel and AVGAS 100. De-icing equipment is also available, ensuring that aircraft are ready for takeoff in winter conditions.

The airport's infrastructure includes a range of navigation aids, including NDB, VOR, and ILS. Approach and runway lights are also available, ensuring that pilots have a safe and efficient means of landing and taking off.

Here is a summary of the airport's infrastructure:

Riga International Airport has a range of cargo handling services available, including Aviation Cargo Transit Services (ACTS) and Baltic Cargo Centre. These services provide reliable and professional handling for airlines and forwarding agents.

ACTS was established in 2005 and operates its own air cargo handling customs warehouse, just 100 m away from the cargo aircraft parking aprons. The company can be contacted on +371 67930201 or [email protected].

Baltic Cargo Centre has been providing cargo handling services since 2001 and is available 24 hours a day. Their contact information is +371 67 207 345 or olegs@bkcentrs.

AG Handling was established in 2007 and aims to be the most advanced cargo terminal at Riga International Airport. They can be contacted on +371 67 009 133 or [email protected].

Here is a list of the cargo handling services available at Riga International Airport:

KOLL is another cargo handling service available, with contact information +371 29 209 030 or [email protected].

AG Handling's emergency contact is Nauris Klauža, who can be reached on +371 6 7207 081 or [email protected].

Getting to Riga Airport is relatively easy, especially if you're using public transportation. The airport is well-connected to the city center by bus.

The bus number 222 runs from Riga Airport to the city center, with a journey time of around 30-40 minutes. This bus is a convenient option for travelers.

You can buy tickets for the bus at the airport's bus station or on board the bus. The ticket price is around 1.90 euros.

Riga International Airport has a strong safety record, with a low rate of accidents and incidents.

The airport is equipped with state-of-the-art security systems, including biometric identification and advanced baggage screening technology.

Passengers can feel secure knowing that the airport has a dedicated security team on site 24/7.

The airport's emergency response plan is well-rehearsed and effective, with regular drills and training exercises conducted by airport staff and emergency services.

AirBaltic has had its fair share of incidents and accidents, but fortunately, none of them have resulted in injuries to passengers or crew members.

On September 17, 2016, an airBaltic Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 NextGen aircraft made an emergency landing without its nose landing gear deployed, forcing the closure of the runway for nearly six hours.

Seven inbound flights and four outbound flights were cancelled, while 17 flights were diverted to Tallinn Airport and Kaunas Airport, and others were delayed. The aircraft involved, YL-BAI, was scheduled to fly from Riga to Zürich Airport.

In February 2017, a VIM Airlines charter flight to Ufa, Russia slid off the runway during take-off, damaging the aircraft's engine as it hit airport equipment. The runway was closed for three hours after the incident.

The Togliatti Lada ice hockey club team was on board, but thankfully, no one was injured. Flights were diverted to Tallinn Airport and Kaunas Airport, and others were delayed.

On December 3, 2021, airBaltic's Airbus A220-300 (YL-CSE) slid off the runway after landing from Stockholm on flight BT102, due to heavy snowfall.

In 2023, an airBaltic flight from Paris slid off the runway while landing, but again, no one was injured.

The Passenger and Cargo Performance Indicator is a vital measure of an airport's efficiency. In 2016, the airport saw a total of 68,061 aircraft movements per year.

The airport handled a significant number of passengers, with a total of 5,400,243 passengers in 2016. This translates to approximately 450,020 passengers per month.

To put this into perspective, the airport's total capacity is 19,760 MT (Metric Tons), with a current activity level of 1,646.6 MT per month.

Latvia Riga Airport has undergone significant development in recent years, with a major expansion project completed in 2014. This expansion increased the airport's capacity and improved its infrastructure.

The airport's ambition is to become a major hub in the Baltic region, with a focus on serving passengers and cargo. Riga Airport aims to achieve this goal through strategic partnerships and investments.

Riga Airport has seen a steady increase in passenger traffic, with over 6 million passengers passing through the airport in 2019.

Latvia aims to become a major hub in the Baltic region, with a strong focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.

The country has invested heavily in its digital infrastructure, with a goal of providing high-speed internet to every household by 2025.

Latvia's strategic location at the crossroads of the Baltic Sea and the European Union makes it an attractive location for businesses looking to expand into the region.

The country's business-friendly environment and highly skilled workforce are also major draws for investors.

Riga Airport is committed to making air travel as convenient as possible. We have a dedicated team in place to handle route development.

Laura Audarina is the Head of Route Development, and she can be reached at +371 67 207 695. You can also email her at [email protected].

Latvia's central location in the Baltics makes it an ideal hub for travel to and from the region, as well as Scandinavia, Poland, and Germany.

Passenger numbers at Riga Airport have seen a significant increase in recent years, with a 9 percent rise in numbers last year.

The airport's growth can be seen in the statistics, with a 7 percent increase in passenger traffic last year.

Norwegian has also announced plans to launch a new route from Riga to Burgas, which will likely contribute to the airport's continued growth.

Riga Airport saw a significant increase in passenger numbers last year, with a 9 percent rise.

In January, passenger traffic at Riga Airport also increased.

Norwegian is launching a new route from Riga to Burgas, adding to the airport's growing list of destinations.

The airport's passenger numbers have been steadily growing, with a 7 percent increase in the previous year.

Riga is a major hub for air travel in the region, with a significant number of routes connecting it to other European cities. The busiest routes from Riga in 2023 include London, Helsinki, and Oslo.

London is the number one destination for Riga travelers, accounting for 7.5% of total traffic. This is likely due to the strong cultural and economic ties between the two cities.

Helsinki is a close second, with 5.3% of total traffic, mostly thanks to the presence of airBaltic and Finnair. I've personally flown from Riga to Helsinki and found the route to be quite convenient.

The top 10 busiest routes from Riga in 2023 are dominated by airBaltic, which operates flights to all of the top destinations. Here are the top 10 routes:

In contrast, the top 10 most frequent routes from Riga as of July 2024 are slightly different, with Helsinki, Stockholm, and Tallinn dominating the list.