Riga -- As the summer travel season begins, Latvian airline airBaltic advises passengers on how to better plan their journey to ensure a smooth and seamless airport experience, as passenger numbers are expected to grow across the Baltic States. To help travelers navigate the busiest time of the year, the airline shares essential guidance on recommended arrival times at the airport, available check-in options, useful services, and information on document requirements.

Laura Vecvanaga-Pukite, SVP Ground Operations and Customer Care at airBaltic: "Summer is our busiet season, and passenger volumes continue to grow. At airBaltic, we are committed to providing our customers with a seamless travel experience. However, during peak hours - particularly in the mornings - passengers may experience longer lines at baggage drop and security check due to increased number of travelers. To avoid delays and ensure seamless experience, we strongly recommend passengers to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their scheduled departure time."

"We encourage all our passengers to use our online check-in service to avoid queues at airport check-in counters. In addition, we offer early baggage drop-off at RIX Riga Airport and travel document assistance, allowing our customers to better prepare for their journeys and enjoy a more efficient airport experience," Vecvanaga-Pukite added.

Due to increased passenger volumes during the summer months, and in line with IATA projections indicating a 9% year-over-year growth in passenger numbers across the Baltic States, longer queues at check-in, baggage drop-off counters, and security checkpoints are expected. According to available data, 0.3% of total airBaltic's passengers in 2024 missed their flights due to late arrival at the airport.

airBaltic offers a priority baggage drop service, enabling passengers to check in their luggage more quickly, as well as a fast track for security checks. These services can be purchased through the airline's website, and demand for them continues to grow. For added convenience, airBaltic offers an early baggage drop-off service at its home base, RIX Riga Airport, allowing passengers to check-in their luggage one day before departure. Despite these conveniences, the airline recommends arriving at the airport in advance.

To ensure a more seamless travel experience, we encouraged all passengers to check in online via the airBaltic website or mobile app, available 24 hours before departure, or up to five days in advance with the early online check-in option. This helps reduce wait times at airport check-in counters and allows smoother processing for those with checked baggage. With 90% of passengers already using online check-in, this service has proven to be both user-friendly and efficient.

To help passengers navigate common issues with visas, transit rules, and passport validity, airBaltic operates a dedicated phone line for travel document inquiries. Each month, the airline responds to over 650 such queries - more than 400 by phone and 250 via email - highlighting strong demand for clear pre-travel guidance.

In addition, airBaltic has created a comprehensive and easy-to-use travel document guideline on its website, which passengers are strongly encouraged to review before their journey: https://www.airbaltic.com/en/before-you-fly/travel-documents-and-regulations.

airBaltic reminds passengers to follow cabin baggage regulations to ensure a smooth and efficient journey. Oversized or overweight bags can cause delays, overcrowd compartments, and have safety concerns. Passengers are encouraged to check baggage allowances in advance. Non-compliant baggage may incur an additional charge before boarding. According to recent data, in the first four months of this year, around 30% more travellers chose the heavy hand baggage option and over 13% added checked baggage - reflecting a growing trend of planning ahead for longer trips.

For full details on baggage regulations, please visit the airline's website:

https://www.airbaltic.com/en/baggage/

airBaltic operates nearly 130 routes from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere, and, seasonally, Gran Canaria, offering connections to a wide range of destinations in the airline's route network in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus region. A complete schedule of airBaltic flights and tickets are available on the company's homepage at www.airbaltic.com.

About airBaltic:

airBaltic (Air Baltic Corporation AS) is the leading airline in the Baltics and one of Europe's fastest-growing carriers. As a hybrid airline, it leverages the upsides of both traditional network and low-cost carriers. Through a network of nearly 130 routes from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere and, seasonally, Gran Canaria, airBaltic connects the Baltics with over 70 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus.

Founded in 1995, today airBaltic operates one of Europe's youngest fleets, consisting of 50 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, and employs over 2 800 people. In February 2025, airBaltic became the first European airline to offer free high-speed SpaceX Starlink internet on its flights.

The company is majority-owned by the Latvian state, which holds a 97.97% stake, with the remaining 2.03% owned by private shareholders. In January 2025, Lufthansa Group announced an investment in a minority stake in airBaltic, with the transaction expected to close in the second quarter of 2025.

airBaltic's commitment to excellence is recognized by numerous prestigious awards, including being named the Best Airline in its region by Skytrax for three consecutive years. In 2023, APEX awarded the company the Passenger Choice Award for Best Cabin Service in Europe, and in 2024, airBaltic received the APEX Four Star Major Airline Award for its commitment to providing a high-quality travel experience. The same year, the airline was awarded the PROS AI Innovator Award for leveraging AI to drive transformative outcomes and optimize operations. In 2025, airBaltic made its debut in the global rankings compiled by Airline Ratings, which recognized it among the world's 50 safest airlines and included it in the list of the world's top airlines for 2025.

For more information, please contact:

airBaltic Corporate Communication Unit

Air Baltic Corporation AS

Email: pr@airbaltic.com