The Latvian national airline airBaltic has summarized the results of its annual customer survey for 2023. The extensive survey, which collected feedback from over 10,000 airBaltic direct customers who traveled in 2023, offers deep insights into customer habits, preferences, and satisfaction levels. These findings emphasize the company’s strong market position and commitment to customer service.
The survey reached respondents in over 20 countries, with a particular focus on Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Finland – home markets of airBaltic. Conducted online through computer-assisted web interviews, the survey achieved a notable response rate of 10.5%, with 10,475 respondents participating. The data collection took place in March 2024.
Martin Gauss, President and CEO of airBaltic: “We are very delighted with the positive feedback from our customers. This underscores the company’s commitment to providing a top-tier travel experience. The insights from this survey will guide us to continually improve our services and meet the evolving needs of our passengers. Looking ahead, airBaltic plans to expand its network further, enhance services, and maintain a strong focus on customer satisfaction. These efforts aim to ensure that airBaltic remains the airline of choice for travelers in the Baltic region and beyond.”
Year-over-Year Improvement and Unique Positioning
airBaltic has strengthened its position as the number one choice for travelers, increasing its top-of-mind preference to 59%, up from 56% the previous year.
Travel Frequency and Preferences
Eighty-nine% of respondents reported traveling at least once in the past six months, with 40% flying every two to three months. Such frequent travel pattern highlights the loyalty and engagement of airBaltic's customer base. When it comes to preferred airports, RIX Riga Airport remains the top choice for 42% of respondents, highlighting the airline’s strong presence and connectivity in the region.
Reasons for Travel
The survey identified family holidays as the primary reason for flying, cited by 50% of respondents. Leisure travel followed at 40%, with visiting friends and family at 33%. Corporate travel accounted for 30%, and leisure/workation trips were mentioned by 24% of respondents. These insights reveal a balanced mix of personal and business travel.
Travel Companions and Company
Most respondents prefer traveling with a spouse or partner (58%), while 48% often travel alone, and 30% travel with children.
Airline Preferences and Customer Loyalty
airBaltic remains the top choice for 89% of respondents, an impressive figure especially when compared to its closest competitors with 34% and 31% respectively. This strong preference is attributed to convenient flight times, competitive pricing, and an extensive network of direct flights. The Net Promoter Score (NPS) for airBaltic saw a significant increase, reaching 40 in 2024 compared to 29 in 2023.
Valued Services and Customer Insights
Checked baggage remains the most valued additional service among passengers, followed by seat reservation and heavy hand baggage. Convenience of flight times (51%), good price promotions (43%), and an extensive network of destinations (31%) were cited as the top reasons for choosing airBaltic over other airlines.
The survey also highlighted airBaltic’s unique positioning in the minds of travelers. The airline is perceived as a hybrid, combining elements of both legacy and low-cost carriers, which differentiates it from other airlines. This unique position makes airBaltic stronger and more competitive in the market.
airBaltic takes pride in offering comfort and high-quality service without excessive costs. Passengers can choose from a variety of pricing options, including Economy Class tickets and Business Class tickets. Economy Class tickets are ideal for budget-minded travelers who want the flexibility to add additional services, such as checked baggage, heavy cabin baggage, meals on board, and specific seat selections, as needed. Business Class tickets offer a full-service fare package that includes benefits such as priority check-in and boarding, a seat in business class in front of the cabin with an extra free seat for more privacy, a three-course gourmet meal, unlimited beverages, and quicker disembarking upon arrival.
airBaltic operates more than 130 routes from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere and, seasonally, Gran Canaria, offering connections to a wide range of destinations in the airline's route network in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus region. A complete schedule of airBaltic flights and tickets are available on the company's homepage at www.airbaltic.com
airBaltic in brief:
airBaltic (Air Baltic Corporation AS) is a joint stock company that was established in 1995. Its primary shareholder is the Latvian state, which holds 97.97% of the stock, while the rest of the shareholders hold 2.03%. airBaltic offers connections to more than 70 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the Caucasus region. Over the last 28 years airBaltic has developed as a strong and internationally respected airline, which employs more than 2 500 employees. The airBaltic fleet consists of 48 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, making it one of the youngest fleets in Europe. The airline has received several international awards for excellence, innovative services and significant achievements. Skytrax has awarded airBaltic three years in a row as the best airline in its region. Additionally, in 2022, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) awarded airBaltic the Diversity and Inclusion Team Award. In 2023 the airline received the APEX Passenger Choice Award of Best Cabin Service in Europe. Additionally, in 2024 airBaltic was awarded with PROS AI Innovator Award of leveraging AI to drive transformative outcomes and optimize operations.
For further information, please contact:
airBaltic Corporate Communication Unit
Air Baltic Corporation AS
Email: pr@airbaltic.com