Air Baltic braces for financial hit as Latvia locks down again

Air Baltic is expecting to take a financial hit from the Latvian government’s decision to impose a fresh month-long Covid-19 lockdown in the country, despite travel restrictions being unaffected by the move. Local media reports cite a meeting between government ministers and Air Baltic management during which it was estimated that the lockdown, beginning on 21 October, would cost the state-owned airline E10m, as fewer people are expected to travel to Latvia. Air Baltic acknowledges that estimated financial impact when presented with it by FlightGlobal, but notes that it only covers the four-week lockdown and that the carrier was already in “crisis mode”. “It will be possible to evaluate the impact of the current situation only in a few weeks’ time,” the Riga-based operator says. Air Baltic further notes that it “regularly reviews its flight schedule and makes the necessary adjustments” and that it will “continue to do it also throughout the upcoming winter season”. It also clarifies that transit passengers will be unaffected by the lockdown because the Latvian state “has not introduced any additional travel restrictions”.<br/>