Atlant-Sojuz could take over airBaltic flights from Liepaja to Copenhagen and Hamburg
27.08.2008 (18:15)
It is possible that the Russian airline Atlant-Soyuz could take over from the Latvian national airline airBaltic the flights on routes from Liepaja (south-western Latvia) to Copenhagen and Hamburg.Atlant-Soyuz representatives informed LETA about such a possibility during the official opening of Atlant-Soyuz flights on Moscow-Liepaja route on Tuesday, August 26.
Atlant-Soyuz representative in the Baltic states Aleksandrs Dinuls said that Atlant-Soyuz will not strive to compete with other airlines but rather pose competition to bus and train companies, as their ticket prices are similar or sometimes even higher than those of airlines.
If Moscow-Liepaja-Moscow flights are profitable, the airline could employ a larger plane on the route, substituting the current Embraer-120 with a Boeing 737.
In the future Atlant-Soyuz will consider the possibility to expand its flight network and launch flights from Liepaja also to Helsinki, Stockholm, Berlin, Prague, Warsaw, Kiev and St. Petersburg.
Yesterday, with one hour delay that was due to a heavy rain in Moscow, the first Atlant-Soyuz flight from Moscow arrived in Liepaja with representatives from Moscow Duma, Vnukov Airport and Russian tourism companies aboard.
The guests were greeted by representatives of Liepaja City Council, Russian Consulate in Liepaja, Latvian Ministry of Transport and Liepaja Airport officials.
In the beginning Moscow - Liepaja flights will be operated three times per week, but if successful cooperation with tourism agencies is developed and the flight is in demand with companies and private individuals, the frequency of flights could be increased to five flights per week.
Dinuls believes that these flights will attract not only the residents of Liepaja, traveling to the capital of Russia, but also those who live in Ventspils (north-western Latvia) and other cities in northern Lithuania.
The flight will take a little over two hours, the airplane, departing from Moscow's Vnukov International Airport at 2 p.m. (Russian time) will land at Liepaja Airport at 3 p.m. (Latvian time).
In the beginning, tickets will be available at tourism agencies, online bookings will also be offered later.
An Embraer 120 with 30 passenger seats will operate the Liepaja-Moscow flights. Tickets will cost starting from EUR 40 (LVL 28).
Moscow Duma is the sole owner of Atlant-soyuz, the airline has been operating since 1993, www.baltic-course.com reports.
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