airBaltic reports passenger growth at Riga base

Latvian airline airBaltic carried overall 229,475 passengers in May 2009 (from Riga and Vilnius), representing 4% more than in the same month in 2008, when airBaltic transported 220,802 passengers. In May this year, the number of passengers at the base of airBaltic in Riga has increased by 33% compared to the same period last year.

During the first five months of 2009, airBaltic transported a total of 947,180 passengers, some 9% more than during the same period in 2008, when the total number of passengers was 868,922.

In May, airBaltic operated 3,825 flights, or 8% fewer than the 4,139 flights of May 2008. Between January and the end of May, the airline provided 17,173 flights in all.

Passenger load factor in May 2009 was at a level of 66%, or 4% points more than in May 2008. During the first five months of 2009 airline’s passenger load factor was at a level of 63%, or 7% points more than during the same period in 2008.

The 15-minute flight punctuality indicator for airBaltic was also at a of 94.2% in May 2009. This means that more than 94 of every 100 airBaltic flights in May departed at the planned time or with a delay of no more than 15 minutes.