The leading Nordic airline, Norwegian opened a base at Riga Airport on Tuesday, April 30 — in the presence of Latvian and Norwegian representatives.
Moving ahead with its expansion plans, Norwegian is set to enhance its Eastern European network. The strategic decision aims at strengthening ties between the two nations, while offering more travel options to passengers.
Riga International is set to be the base airport for Norwegian’s 30 pilots and 60 flight crew employees, providing direct connections to six destinations.
Speaking at the inauguration, Norwegian CEO Geir Carlsen expressed his enthusiasm and optimism regarding the new venture:
“We are pleased to officially open our base with pilots and cabin crew. This weekend, we will launch flights to Tivat and Corfu, thus increasing our route network to and from Latvia to six routes. Our goal is to continue expanding in the region.”
Geir Carlsen, CEO, Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA
The Riga base is anticipated to boost Latvian tourism while offering seamless, direct routes for Norwegian customers.
The direct flights from Riga now include Oslo, Trondheim, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Corfu and Tivat.
Riga is the 12th base of the company, and Latvia is the 6th country to deploy the base of Norwegian. Last year, 205,000 passengers are estimated to have travelled between Norway and Latvia.
Norwegian entertained the idea of setting up a base in Riga for a while, spurred by the desire to expand their reach in Eastern Europe and solidify ties between Latvia and Norway.
Supported by the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA), Norwegian sees this strategic move as a potential catalyst for increased business exchanges and tourism opportunities between the two countries.
The new base will also cater to the growing demand for affordable and convenient international travel, while fostering economic growth in the region.
