Lithuania is preparing a contingency plan in case Latvian airline AirBaltic cuts its operations in the country or withdraws entirely, Transport Minister Juras Taminskas said Thursday.
Taminskas said a sudden suspension of AirBaltic flights would cause disruption in the short term but urged against speculation and panic while the airline continues operating.
“It would be very unpleasant and, in reality, even a certain shock in the short term if AirBaltic stopped operating flights, but at the moment we are managing the risk,” Taminskas told BNS in Klaipėda.
The minister said he would meet next week with the management of Lithuanian Airports to discuss how authorities should respond if AirBaltic reduces flight volumes or stops services altogether.
“We cannot bury AirBaltic while it is still alive,” Taminskas said, noting that the airline currently continues to operate and provide services in Lithuania. “We are continuing to monitor how the situation develops.”
