While elsewhere in Europe part or even all flights were cancelled, air traffic at RIGA International Airport in December was not significantly disrupted by severe weather conditions.
In the period from 10 to 26 December at RIGA International Airport only 21 flights were cancelled due to the local weather conditions or 0.6 percent of the total number of flights to such destinations as Helsinki, Tallinn, Vilnius and Dublin.
From 27 December to 2 January only one flight was cancelled due to the local weather conditions at RIGA International Airport.
„The joint efforts of our staff were decisive in this respect as they went to great and even extraordinary lengths to facilitate safe take-off and landing of aircraft. We work hard to avoid the radical decision of closing the runway,” said Arnis Luhse, Chairman of the Board of RIGA International Airport.
In December heavy snowfalls completely paralysed many European airports. For example, at Frankfurt International Airport on a single day of 19 December approximately 500 arriving and departing flights were cancelled. The U.K. national carrier British Airways on 18 December cancelled all the flights at the country’s two busiest airports - Heathrow and Gatwick – that were crowded by thousands of frustrated passengers.
Due to the enormous efforts of its personnel RIGA International Airport, unlike other European airports, succeeded in clearing the runway, taxiways and aprons, lighting and signs from snow and ice in order to keep traffic going.
„On behalf of the airport management I extend gratitude to all the airport staff who selflessly worked during the holidays to maintain continuous operations at the airport,” said A.Luhse.