airBaltic Opens One of the Baltics’ Largest and Most Advanced Cargo Facilities

airBaltic has announced the official opening of the ‘Baltic Cargo Hub’, one of the Baltics’ largest and most advanced cargo facilities.  The new facility was officially opened during a dedicated ceremony at Riga Airport on Thursday, May 22, 2025.

airBaltic Airbus A220-300 Closeup - Courtesy airBaltic

On Friday (May 23, 2025), airBaltic announced the official opening of the ‘Baltic Cargo Hub’, one of the Baltics’ largest and most advanced air cargo facilities.  The facility was opened following a dedication ceremony on Thursday, May 22nd at Riga Airport (RIX), which was attended by around 200 guests, including the Minister of Transport of the Republic of Latvia, international postal and freight partners, along with representatives from various institutions and industry organizations.    

In Friday’s announcement, airBaltic’s Interim CEO and COO, Pauls Cālītis, said,

“The opening of the Baltic Cargo Hub marks a major milestone in strengthening the air cargo infrastructure in the region.  This state-of-the-art facility will significantly increase cargo handling capacity at the Riga Airport – up to 45 000 tonnes of cargo annually – and is open to all carriers looking to expand in the Baltics.  For airBaltic, it provides an opportunity to further develop our cargo services and support our role in international logistics.  It is not only a step forward for our operations, but also a meaningful boost to Latvia’s role as a key aviation hub in Northern Europe.”

Also commenting on the opening of the new facility, Baltic Cargo Center’s Chairman of the Board, Arvīds Maurāns, added

“The new Baltic Cargo Hub is a forward-looking investment in smarter, faster, and more adaptable cargo operations.  It has been designed with a clear focus on flexibility, efficiency, and the diverse needs of global cargo operators, our current and future partners.  With a purpose-built mail sorting facility, it also plays a key role in strengthening international postal mail flows via Riga.  This milestone is the result of strong collaboration and dedication from many parties, and it demonstrates our shared ambition to support the continued growth of both cargo and mail transit through Latvia.”

Spanning 6,895 square meters, the Baltic Cargo Hub has been designed to support growing demand for modern and efficient air cargo services at Riga Airport.  Located directly at the airport’s apron, and equipped with advanced semi-automatic material handling systems, the facility will enable rapid and seamless cargo processing.  The facility also features temperature controlled rooms for sensitive materials such as pharmaceuticals, as well as areas dedicated for dangerous goods, live animals, and high value goods.  Additionally, Integrated Food and Veterinary Service facilities and a Customs checkpoint will further streamline cargo operations.   

Established in 1995, Air Baltic Corporation SA (airBaltic) is a joint stock company with most of the equity (97.97%) held by the Latvian state and the remaining 2.03% held by other shareholders.  Lufthansa Group plans on taking a minority stake in the company by Q2 2025, subject to regulatory approval.  One of the most punctual carriers in the world, the airline connects the Baltic region with over 130 routes from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere, and seasonally from Gran Canaria to more than 80 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the Caucasus region.  The carrier operates a single fleet type of 50 Airbus A220-300s, and plans on expanding their A220-300 fleet to 100 aircraft by 2030. The airline Group also includes Air Baltic Training SIA, Loyalty Services SIA, Baltijas Kravu Centrs SIA and Crew Resources AS.  airBaltic currently employs over 2,700 team members.

Source: airBaltic