Riga has become the latest airport to report improved traffic figures for 2011, the Latvian gateway announcing a 14% upturn in passenger throughput during the first half of the year.

It claims that the 2.38 million passengers to pass through its facilities in the first six months of 2011 ensures that it accounts for 60% of all traffic to the Baltic states.

Tallinn in Estonia handled 870,045 passengers and Vilnius in Lithuania accommodated 715,296 passengers during the same period.

"The rise of passenger numbers can be explained by the fact that new airlines commenced operations on several routes while the existing carriers increased their flight frequency," enthuses Arnis Luhse, chairman of the board of Riga International Airport.

In addtion to passenger traffic, Riga International Airport also recorded an 11% upturn in aircraft movements and a 9% rise in cargo volumes during the first half of 2011.