airBaltic iPads Used 30000 Hours Each Month

06.12.2011 06:16 | Latvia

Photo: airBaltic.com

Author: Janis Vanags
Source: A/S Air Baltic Corporation

In October 2010, Latvian national airline airBaltic became the first airline in Europe to commit to iPads for inflight entertainment. In just one year, airBaltic has achieved 30000 hours of iPad usage each month among passengers travelling via North Hub Riga to/from destinations in Europe, Middle East, Russia and CIS.

Apple iPads are used for inflight entertainment and offer new experience for airBaltic customers to enjoy movies, cartoons, music, games, or daily news from electronic newspapers. airBaltic offers iPads to passengers traveling to Europe, Middle East and CIS on flights longer than 2 hours and 30 minutes; typically 10 iPad 2 devices are available on each flight. iPads are offered free of charge to Business class, while Economy class passengers pay EUR 9 for the service. The top flights for iPad usage during the summer were Antalya and Barcelona.

airBalticBag, airBaltic shoe, roses onboard, BalticBike are other innovative products that airBaltic has recently introduced; in each case airBaltic was the first airline in the world to come up with such an initiative.

airBaltic serves 60 destinations from its home base at Riga, Latvia. From every one of these, airBaltic offers convenient connections via North Hub Riga to its network spanning Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, CIS and the Middle East.

airBalticin brief:

AIR BALTIC CORPORATION (airBaltic) is a joint stock company that was established in 1995. The primary shareholder is the Latvian state with 99.8% of stock. The airBaltic fleet consists of 34 aircraft – six Boeing 737-500, eight Boeing 737-300, two Boeing 757-200, ten Fokker 50 airplanes and eight Bombardier Q400Next Gen. airBaltic offers nonstop flights from three Baltic capital cities – Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn. airBaltic received the title of Airline of the Year 2009/2010 (Gold Award) from the European Regions Airline Association. airBaltic is the winner of Air Transport World Phoenix Award 2010 – a global recognition of excellence in restructuring business. In summer 2010, airBaltic was chosen for anna.aero ANNIES Award as Europe's largest flag carrier by new routes. airBaltic won a special Pacesetter Award 2010 from the Jury of the Budgies World Low Cost Airline Awards, recognising achievements of airBaltic as a hybrid airline.