The first flight this morning is being carried out by airBaltic to Kyiv. Transport Minister Tālis Linkaits said on Twitter that "we will try to re-establish Rīga as an important Baltic aviation hub."
Šodien ar @airbaltic rīta reisu uz Kijevu atsākas lidojumi no Rīgas uz trešajām valstīm. Centīsimies atjaunot Rīgas kā būtiska Baltijas aviācijas mezgla lomu.
— Tālis Linkaits (@Talis_L) March 17, 2021
However, non-essential travel is still being strongly advised against, even though tourist flights for sun-seekers are formally permitted.
Arrivals from third countries must carry out a Covid-19 test at the closest possible location (it may be done at Rīga International Airport). If this is not done, the person must immediately go into self-isolation at a tourist accommodation site from the list on Latvian Investment and Development Agency website. The person must stay there until a test is carried out.
Arrivals who test positive for Covid-19 on arrival will be subject to a ten-day self-isolation in a tourism accommodation location available on LIAA website. Both the test and hotel stay will be paid for by the traveler.
Arrivals who test negative on arrival will still be subject to 10-day self-isolation but may do so at their place of residence.
Flights to and from third countries will be permitted so that it is easier to control the epidemiological situation, the government said. Since most countries, including neighboring Lithuania and Estonia, permit those flights, some Latvian residents are believed to have used these routes to travel, making it problematic to know where they have been.
