The Latvian national airline airBaltic will start five new direct routes from Vilnius International Airport (VIA) as soon as December 2009, the airline said.

The flights to Berlin, Paris and Munchen start from from Dec. 18, while another two routes to Amsterdam and Rome are planned for Jan. 4 2009.

The announcement comes one day after Lithuanian government and its Transport Ministry decided to lower tariffs at VIA as of Dec. 1 of this year. Tariffs, which used to be up to 40 Litas (11.5 euros) are now announced to be as much as 10 times lower – just 4 Litas per passenger.

airBaltic is said to be signing a new agreement with the airport. The airline will also evaluate opening four other routes during the summer of 2010. The reduced tariffs in Vilnius allow for a volume-based system of discounts of the same type that was available to airlines at the Riga airport until November of this year.

“We are convinced that next year the Vilnius airport will have every chance to become the most rapidly growing airport in Europe,” says airBaltic president Bertolt Flick.

Alfa.lt/English