airBaltic (BT, Riga) has filed an application to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for a foreign air carrier permit and for route exemption authority thereby allowing it to offer scheduled and charter passenger, cargo and mail flights between the United States and the European Union.

The Latvian carrier says it is planning to codeshare with Uzbekistan Airways (HY, Tashkent International) on the latter's Tashkent International to New York JFK via Riga service with plans to do so as soon as all necessary governmental approvals are received.

The Uzbek carrier currently plies the route once-weekly on-board B767-300(ER) equipment.