October 2017 sees Latvian flag carrier and LCC airBaltic celebrate its 22nd anniversary since the launch of commercial operations. A lot has happened with the airline since October 1, 1995 when it airBaltic operated the first commercial flight from Riga to Stockholm
Here are 22 interesting facts for airBaltic trivia fans:
1. The first airBaltic aircraft was a Saab 340, with just 33 seats
2. The total distance of airBaltic flights has reached 330 million miles (530 million km), the equivalent of flying to Mars and back three times
3. 30 employees have working at airBaltic since the establishment of the airline
4. Back when airBaltic just had four aircraft in its disposal, they were named after the four historical regions of Latvia: Zemgale, Latgale, Vidzeme and Kurzeme
5. During flight, airBaltic passengers have purchased four automobiles
6. airBaltic sold its first on-line ticket in 2004. The average number of tickets booked online in 2004 was 20 per day, but today it has reached over 1,500 per day
7. Three years ago, airBaltic became the world’s first airline to accept Bitcoin as payment for tickets
8. airBaltic operates direct flights to 11 destinations from Vilnius and Tallinn airports
9. Currently at airBaltic work 1,350 professionals from 30 different countries
10. The Dalai Lama and many world leaders have flown with airBaltic, as well as penguins and even a Leonardo da Vinci self-portrait
11. airBaltic has been recognized as the world’s most punctual airline for several years in a row
Above: One of the airline’s original Saab 340 aircraft
12. The first seven new Bombardier CS300 aircraft arrived in Riga directly from the company’s production plant in Canada
13. 22 years ago, the price of a one-way ticket to Copenhagen was starting from LVL 66, or more than 90 Euros
14. Next summer, airBaltic will launch direct flights to Lisbon, Malaga and Split
15. The airline’s new Bombardier CS300 aircraft help lower fuel consumption by 21%
16. This summer, airBaltic transported on average 350,000 passengers per month
17. Over the past 22 years, airBaltic has conducted direct flights to over 110 destinations
18. The farthest airBaltic destination from Riga is Abu Dhabi, which is 4,350km away
19. airBaltic is the first airline in the world that started commercial operations with Bombardier CS300 aircraft
20. During the past 22 years, airBaltic has transported over 35 million passengers
21. Today, every fourth airBaltic passenger is transported on one of the airline’s new Bombardier CS300 aircraft
22. The farthest flight to Liepaja bought in airBaltic homepage was from Vladivostok