AirBaltic Seeks To Serve Ukrainians With New Route To Rzeszów, Poland

AirBaltic will open flights between its base in Riga, Latvia, and Rzeszów, Poland, hoping to serve Ukrainians seeking to travel from the war-torn country.

Commercial air service to and from Ukraine has been suspended since Russia’s Feb. 24, 2022, invasion. From Nov. 8, airBaltic will operate flights to Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport (RZE), located around 440 mi. from the Ukrainian border.

The airline said Ukrainians can reach RZE via buses and trains.

“With Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport being the closest Polish airport to the Ukrainian border, this new route provides Ukrainian travelers with a seamless and efficient way to access airBaltic's extensive European network,” the airline said in a statement.

The service will be operated with an Airbus A220-300. The airline did not say how many frequencies it will operate on the route.

AirBaltic noted buses travel to Rzeszów from Ukrainian cities including Kyiv and Lviv. The buses operate directly to Rzeszów’s city center and the airport.

The airline added that “Ukrainian citizens can travel by night and intercity trains from major cities, including Kyiv, Lviv and Odessa, to Przemyśl in Poland. From Przemyśl, regular trains connect to Rzeszów. Once in Rzeszów, the airport is easily accessible by local transport, with a bus service that operates between the city center and the airport, offering a 35-min. transfer.”

The flight from RZE to Riga, around 3 hr. 30 min., will connect Ukrainian passengers to airBaltic’s network. The carrier’s total network spans 130 routes.