airBaltic carrier to order vaccination against Covid-19 for all employees

RIGA - Latvia's airBaltic national carrier has set November 15 as the deadline for its employees to get vaccinated against Covid-19, the company's representatives informed LETA. 

The airline's representatives indicated that this decision will ensure undisrupted operations as an increasing number of countries require proof of vaccination for air crews. As of November 15, employees without Covid-19 vaccination or recovery certificates will be suspended from work without pay.

As vaccination rates grow across the world, the airline sees that as the fastest way out of the pandemic.

airBaltic CEO Martin Gauss informed that 87 percent of the airline's staff are already either vaccinated against or immune to Covid-19. 

airBaltic currently employs 1,366 people, including 200 pilots and 342 cabin crew.

As reported, airBaltic posted EUR 49.963 million in sales for the first half of this year, down 41.6 percent from the respective period last year, while its loss shrank three times to EUR 61.515 million, according to the information published by the company.

The Latvian state currently owns 96.14 percent in airBaltic, and a 3.86 percent stake in the airline belongs to Aircraft Leasing 1, a company owned by Danish businessman Lars Thuesen.