Russian airlines irregularly pay for air navigation services provided by the State Joint Stock Company "Latvian Air Navigation Agency" (LGS) when crossing the airspace controlled by Latvia, said LGS Chairman of the Board David Taurins in an interview with the LETA agency.
He explained that LGS is obligated to provide these services as required by airspace safety. Flights of Russian aircraft are also serviced by the air navigation services of Finland, Estonia, and Lithuania.
Taurins added that payments from Russian airlines are received, but irregularly.
"This happens with delays, and there are some airlines that no longer pay at all," he noted.
He also pointed out that LGS does not receive these funds directly – payments are collected by the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation Eurocontrol, which distributes them among the companies that provided services to the airlines with approximately a two-month delay.
"Currently, there is a debt that we are actively working to recover in cooperation with Eurocontrol. There are results," emphasized Taurins.
When asked about the size of the debt, he replied that in relative terms it is small and fluctuates, but overall the debt is consistently present – to a greater or lesser extent.
Earlier, in an interview with the LETA agency, Taurins explained that the airspace controlled by Latvia does not coincide with the geographical borders of the country. Accordingly, flights of Russian airlines do not pass over the territory of Latvia but fly over neutral waters, being considered domestic flights of Russia, for example, from St. Petersburg or Moscow to Kaliningrad over the Baltic Sea.
He explained that LGS provides air navigation services in the Riga flight information service area, which covers airspace not only over Latvia but also over neutral waters.
In February 2022, the European Union banned all Russian carriers from accessing EU airports and flying over the airspace of EU countries. This means that aircraft registered in Russia, as well as those registered in other countries but leased by Russian individuals or legal entities, cannot land at EU airports or cross the airspace of EU countries, Taurins added.
Considering that the airspace over neutral waters is not subject to EU jurisdiction, Russian aircraft continue to use this segment. Thus, LGS is obligated to provide air navigation services to all aircraft flying in this segment, ensuring flight safety, Taurins previously emphasized.
LGS is a 100% state-owned enterprise required to provide air navigation services to airspace users.
