Estonia, Lithuania share needs for own carriers to secure air connectivity

Published: 30-10-2020 Estonia, Lithuania share needs for own carriers to secure air connectivity

Oct 30, 2020 (newstodate): The Latvian carrier airBaltic is keen to promote itself as the provider of air connectivity in all three Baltic markets.
   However, both Estonia and Lithuania seem uneasy in relying solely on air services provided by airBaltic that has repeatedly adjusted its strategy and services in the two countries based on own commercial considerations.
   In Estonia, Nordica has now been cleared to receive support from the state in the form of a financial relief package based on criteria including a business plan comprising scheduled services to secure the country's connectivity with major European markets as a strategic goal.
   -Today, airBaltic is a major provider of flights out of Tallinn but Estonia does not of course have any control over foreign airlines' strategies or planning. And the experience from Lithuania has taught us a lesson. We have no plans for entering the market for scheduled flights, but must be ready if required by the government, Erki Urva, Nordic Aviation Group CEO, told newstodate in August this year.
   In Lithuania, the Minister of Transportation has repeatedly aired intentions for establishing a new state-owned virtual airline to start services already before the end of this year in cooperation with an existing airline providing flight operations and fleet.
   According to a release, the aim is to make Lithuania "independent of foreign air carriers' constantly changing strategies", and to reduce the country's reliance on foreign airlines.
   In Lithuania, airBaltic opened its base at Vilnius in November 2014, benefiting from the final collapse of Lithuania's latest attempt to establish a national carrier, Air Lituanica that folded its wings on May 22, 2015.
   Since then, Lithuania has been without an own "national" airline.
   Maybe the entry of so far two new airlines to settle in Lithuania, Heston Airlines and Global Airways, could provide the ACMI capacity needed for getting the proposed "national" virtual Lithuanian carrier in the air to fill the strategic needs of the country.

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