Application: AirBaltic wants to fly to the US

airBaltic's business area is actually on short- and medium-haul routes in the Baltic States, Europe and the Middle East. Recently, a Latvian airline made an interesting request to the US Department of Transportation. The Riga-based airline is looking to expand its reach across the Atlantic and fly to the US. This raises many questions, in particular: How does the operator of an entirely Airbus A220 fleet intend to do this?

The application airBaltic's application to the US Department of Transportation aims to obtain permission to operate flights to the US with its own aircraft. This would be a significant development for the company, as it currently only has codeshare flights to the US. The carrier works with Delta here, but American doesn't offer flights to the Baltics.

Air Baltic is reportedly planning to operate flights to the US.

The airline has applied for permission to start flying its own aircraft to the US

As the A220s are not limited to non-stop service from the US, it is currently unclear how Air Baltic will operate these flights. pic.twitter.com/SIROMjV7Fv

— Ishrion Aviation (@IshrionA) March 21, 2024

AirBaltic also does not operate long-haul flights, which is due to the Baltic Fleet. It operates exclusively with Airbus A220 aircraft, which is not limited to non-stop flights across the Atlantic. Although you can fly a plane with a stopover, this significantly reduces the appeal of such flights. With flights to Lisbon or Abu Dhabi you can be in the air for more than 5 hours, but there is a loss of comfort for longer periods.

While the A220 is fuel-efficient and efficient, AirBaltic also has the advantage of operating an entirely Airbus A220 fleet. This creates synergies in maintenance or training for pilots and cabin crew. In the interior, standard seats of narrow-body aircraft are also installed in business class. There are no flat beds, entertainment programs or electrical connections.

With appropriate stopovers at strategic locations, you can fly from Riga (RIX) to the US East Coast. Portal Grandmother I thought of Keflavik in Iceland, and one scene showed a forward flight to New York JFK. Of course, those responsible at AirBaltic can charter a suitable long-haul flight. This will present a structured organization with economic and operational challenges.

Application: AirBaltic wants to fly to America | Frankfurt Flyer Concept

The bottom line is that the question of whether AirBaltic will actually fly to the US is still open. For now, this move is more of a theoretical possibility than an immediate reality. Nevertheless, the application shows AirBaltic's ambitions and potential to further expand its international route network and strengthen its position as a leading airline in the region.

With 45 Airbus A220-300s, we have a balanced fleet and 35 aircraft on order. In the long term, the fleet may exceed 100 aircraft.