Latvian national airline airBaltic will have to refund more than 1 million euros to passengers, who requested refunds for tickets for canceled flights, Martin Gauss said in an interview with LETA the Chairman of airBaltic .He explained that some of the passengers requested the return of the costs of the
tickets in money or gift coupons. As Gauss noted, approximately the same amount airBaltic earns for one day on booking tickets. “So “So financially from a financial point of view the airline is able to easily cope with this . Some speculate and say that this complicates our situation. Not at all No – this
is standard business, ” the airline’s manager emphasized. Commenting on the question of whether all passengers were informed about the canceled flights, Gauss said, that the
notification process is still ongoing, but almost all passengers of these flights have been notified. As the managing director of airBaltic emphasized, each passenger should be served individually. “If you have a ticket, and we tell you that airBaltic won’t fly, you want to be contacted personally.
That’s why airBaltic call center agents discuss with each passenger their individual needs,” said Gauss. If airBaltic can offer the passenger another date of flight, the ticket will be re-registered. If anyone decides to choose another route, airBaltic will
offer it or refund the money. “If someone booked a ticket through a travel agency, they will contact the
passenger, and airBaltic will return the money,” Said Gauss.He added, There are many different ways of resolving the issue with the cancellation of flights,
andIn the entire aviation business, such situations occur. He recognized that the situation is unpleasant, and the airline is apologizing to the passengers. But
at the same time, in the words of Gauss, the consequences are not so exaggerated. As reported, on January 2 airBaltic announced that, thatdue to delays with the maintenance of the engines of airplanes by the manufacturer Pratt & Whitney in the summer season the airline
will cancel flights on 19 routes and reduce the frequency of flights on 21 routes. At total will cancel 4670 flights. After the announcement of the airline
Minister of Caspars Briszkens reported, that the airBaltic council is instructed to immediately provide explanations about the reasons for the cancellation of flights and the impact of this decision on air traffic with Latvia. Also the minister announced that the management of airBaltic, including the Chairman of
the Management Martin Gauss and Chairman of the Council Klavs Vasks are obliged to fulfill the promises to raise capital in the amount of 300
millioneurostorealizethebusinessplanoftheAirBalticAirBaltic.plan of the airline,andalsoensure thatairBaltic’sactivitiesare in the interests ofthestateandpassengers.The question ofreplacingGaussinthepost ofairBalticleaderwasdiscussedonMondaybythepartiesof therulingcoalition,butitwasdecidedtowaitfortheshareholders’ meetingtobe heldJanuary21.