airBaltic Set To Begin Codeshare Agreement With Delta Air Lines

airBaltic is set to begin a landmark agreement with Delta Air Lines, as the two airlines will codeshare on flights between the three Baltic States and the United States (US), providing crucial connectivity to the region. The codeshare agreement is set to kick in on November 22, 2023.

Delta Air Lines’ connections to the Baltics

The enhanced codeshare agreement will result in Delta Air Lines placing its flight codes on 20 airBaltic routes to the Latvian airline’s three bases, including Riga Airport (RIX), Tallinn Airport (TLL), and Vilnius Airport (VNO). According to Martin Gauss, the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of airBaltic, this is a “historic achievement for airBaltic and Latvia, as we embark on expanding our network across the Atlantic Ocean.”

“The collaboration with the renowned US partner Delta Air Lines, known for its expansive network and international cooperation infrastructure, holds tremendous opportunities.”

Gauss also highlighted that in addition to attracting even more passengers on airBaltic’s flights, the agreement will “elevate the Baltics’ global visibility and connectivity.” Even before the deal with Delta Air Lines, airBaltic has had an extensive codeshare partnership with Air France-KLM, which includes members of the airBaltic Club, the airline’s loyalty program, being able to earn loyalty points on certain flights across the Franco-Dutch group’s network.

Photo: Michele Ursi | Shutterstock

Air France-KLM has been closely associated with Delta Air Lines. In addition to being partners on the SkyTeam airline alliance, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines, and Virgin Atlantic announced their expanded joint venture (EJV), which has provided “customers with more convenient flight schedules and a shared goal of ensuring a smooth and consistent travel experience, whichever airline people fly” in February 2020. This included reciprocal loyalty program benefits, such as earning loyalty program points and/or miles on whichever airline a passenger chose to fly on. The EJV is equally governed by each airline, with the three CEOs and a management committee of representatives of the carriers’ various departments defining the future strategy of the venture.

Read more: Virgin Atlantic And Delta’s Joint Venture With Air France-KLM Is Now Live

Alain Bellemare, the Executive Vice President and President of International at Delta Air Lines, noted that enhanced partnerships between airlines “are integral to our long-term strategy to better connect Delta customers around the world.”

“Working closely with airBaltic will further strengthen Delta’s connection to this vibrant European region by offering more customers unrivaled access to destinations across the [US].”

Latvia’s FAA safety rating

The codeshare agreement between airBaltic and Delta Air Lines was allowed to happen once Latvia was granted Category 1 status by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in July 2023. At the time, the FAA said that the country’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) first Category 1 rating means that Latvia’s Civilās aviācijas aģentūra (Civil Aviation Agency, CAA) “follows the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) safety standards.” As a result, the country’s airlines can provide service in the US and enter into codeshare agreements with US-based airlines without limits. However, no airline in Latvia has a narrowbody or widebody aircraft that could reach the US without stopping for fuel.

Photo: Karolis Kavolelis | Shutterstock

Most recently, Mexico had its Category 1 rating reinstated after the FAA and the Mexican Agencia Federal de Aviacion Civil (AFAC) worked closely for two years to amend safety concerns in September 2023. The FAA downgraded the country’s rating since it did not meet ICAO’s safety standards in May 2021.

Read more: Breaking: Mexico Regains FAA Category 1 Status