Riga Airport expects to serve between 7.1 and 7.2 million passengers this year, but a range of geopolitical and economic factors could threaten those ambitions, according to Airport CEO Laila Odiņa.
Speaking on TV3’s 900 sekundes programme on Friday, Odiņa said that the continued closure of the Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian markets remains one of the biggest obstacles to growth. She added that if direct flights from Riga to Dubai and Tel Aviv are not restored before the end of the year, the airport could lose approximately 100,000 passengers.
At the same time, she stressed that the sharp rise in aviation fuel prices is currently having the greatest impact on passenger traffic and airline planning.
Higher fuel costs are forcing airlines to reassess route profitability and expansion plans, making it increasingly difficult for Riga Airport to attract new carriers.
“This means that new airlines are entering Riga Airport very slowly and in very small numbers,”
Odiņa said, warning that elevated fuel prices are likely to continue affecting the aviation sector in the long term.
The airport also closely monitored fuel supply risks following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East. Odiņa explained that there were initial concerns that aviation fuel reserves might last only six weeks because roughly 40% of Europe’s aviation fuel is transported through the Strait of Hormuz.
However, consultations with fuel suppliers later indicated that supplies should remain sufficient through the end of the summer season.
“The situation has stabilised somewhat and the initial panic has subsided,
but we know that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is far from resolved. We will continue to monitor developments,” she said.
Odiņa also acknowledged that Riga Airport has prepared several contingency scenarios related to the financial difficulties facing Latvia’s national airline, airBaltic.
According to the airport chief, airBaltic remains critically important to Riga Airport, accounting for approximately 58% of total passenger traffic and around 40% of airport revenues.
“airBaltic’s survival is, of course, extremely important to us.
However, we have developed scenarios for how we would adapt if circumstances changed. It would take time, but in the long term it would not be critical for the airport,” Odiņa said.
According to previously published data, Riga Airport handled 1.997 million passengers during the first four months of this year, representing a decline of 1% compared with the same period last year.
In 2025, the airport served a total of 7.111 million passengers, matching the previous year’s level. However, passenger numbers remained 9% below pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019.
The airport also handled 63,155 flights last year, unchanged from the previous year, while air cargo volumes increased by 7% to 20,147 tonnes.
Riga International Airport remains the largest aviation hub in the Baltic states and continues to play a key role in regional connectivity, tourism, trade and economic development.
Read also: While Latvia remains silent, Russia profits: fertiliser transit continues to feed the war economy
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