Representatives of the Investors’ Forum association, which brings together the largest and most active investors in the national economy, visited Vilnius airport to learn about the development of Lithuanian airports (LTOU). During a meeting with LTOU director Simonas Bartkus, further perspectives on Lithuania’s air accessibility were discussed.

“While renewing and expanding airport infrastructure, it is equally essential to improve Lithuania’s air accessibility from major business centers in Europe and around the world. Convenient transportation is a fundamental condition for the business environment, and aviation can significantly contribute to the country’s economic growth,” emphasized Rolandas Valiūnas, chairman of the Investors’ Forum.

He pointed out that Lithuania should aim for greater breakthroughs not only by increasing and servicing traffic from tourist and so-called emigration flights but also from business flights. The association members who visited the new departure terminal positively noted the fact that due to advancements in technology and engineering solutions, Vilnius airport’s capacity has doubled, providing passengers with a higher quality experience and service.

“We are prepared to continue representing Lithuania as an innovative, safe, and open state for business investments. In parallel with investments in airport infrastructure not only in Vilnius but also in Kaunas, we are making significant efforts with partners and government institutions to focus more on the quality of transportation rather than just the number of routes. Everyone understands that achieving this goal requires both attention and investment on a national scale,” said LTOU director Simonas Bartkus. According to him, the new departure terminal is just the first major step in a long-term strategic development plan. Soon, a project will begin to convert existing spaces at Vilnius airport, involving the redevelopment of two terminals built in 1993 and 2007.

Bartkus noted that in renewing and expanding its infrastructure, the Lithuanian airport network is actively establishing connections and partnerships with airline companies. In recent years, several new carrier routes have launched from Vilnius, particularly strengthening connections with cities in Germany, and a record total of 6.6 million passengers was serviced last year.

Members of the Investors’ Forum agreed with the LTOU director’s view that our country must continue to promote important routes using a risk-sharing model, as this strengthens Lithuania’s ties with economic, defense, and political partners. The risk-sharing model was first applied in 2023 when direct LOT Polish Airlines flights connected Vilnius and London City Airport. Last year, a contract with Latvian airline Air Baltic established air routes from Vilnius to Lisbon, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg.

“The development of business flights is an area where we continuously draw the attention of the Government and the Ministry of Transport. To make Lithuania attractive to investors, it is necessary to strategically invest in direct accessibility to the country: flights at convenient times and frequencies. This is a direct measure and a key condition for improving Lithuania’s investment climate. A flight from Vilnius at 6 AM and a return after midnight, or flights 2-3 times a week, certainly do not help improve the investment environment. Until we find a better option, we continue to encourage the implementation and funding of the risk-sharing model with airlines carried out by the Ministry of Transport together with Lithuanian airports,” emphasizes R. Valiūnas.

The association uniting the largest and most active investors has provided a list of directions where accessibility (at convenient times for business) is vitally important: London Heathrow (or City), Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, Warsaw, Vienna, Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich, Kyiv, Madrid, Rome, Milan, Prague, Dublin, Geneva, Zurich.