Baltia Air Lines (New York JFK) is on course to obtain its US Part 121 Air Carrier Certificate with transatlantic flights likely to launch in the second half of this year. CNN reports that the airline will ferry its sole aircraft - a B747-200, N706BL (msn 21705), formerly with Kalitta Air (K4, Detroit Willow Run) - from Oscoda, Michigan to New York JFK in May ahead of its maiden New York to St. Petersburg flight.
Flights will operate in a three-class configuration with the long term goal of opening up the market between major U.S. cities and Eastern Europe with particular emphasis on Russia, Latvia, Belarus and Ukraine.
However, it remains to be seen how the current stand-off between the United States and Russia apropos the latter's unilateral annexation of Crimea will affect the airline's launch.
Founded in 1989, Baltia is the brainchild of Latvian-born, US-based entrepreneur Igor Dmitrowsky who acts as both the airline's CEO and president. This probably makes Baltia the longest living airline start-up in history.
