What Is Baltia Air Lines?

From an interview five (!) years ago: "First class has only twelve seats," explains [VP of Finance[ Clare. "It's sort of a gimmick because we want to show that we have that kind of service available. Even though service will be superior throughout the entire aircraft, first class service will really be far superior. The entire upper deck... will be dedicated as a first class lounge, with a bar and gourmet chefs, live entertainment, strictly for the first class passengers... If the [first class] seats get filled, great; if not, it's there to show that Baltia Air Lines has that kind of service." The airline is hiring "stewards" from "fine restaurants, not flight attendants who work for other airlines that have bad habits. The experience will be incredible... like the grand old ocean liners."

Found at http://theairlineblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/baltia-air-lines-20-year-old-startup.html

@ Ron -- OMFG!!! Curious if that strategy has changed at all over the past five years.

One other consideration -- last I heard, Russia was contemplating closing their airspace to US- and EU-based airlines. Could put a wrench in their plans.

Can anyone ever get tired of watching a 747 take off ?

The answer to the question posed by this post's title is

"The most awesome thing ever."

Baltia only has one 747-200 (the other plane was scrapped). It's an Ex-Northwest aircraft, so it may have the old Northwsest WBC seats on board (not sure where'd they'd get first class seats from).

The initial plan is supposedly to offer once weekly service, before gradually ramping it up to daily. Additional destinations will follow, including Kiev, Riga and Minsk!

A good source of information on Baltia is here, although you have to look for it between the delusional penny stock dreamers:

http://investorshub.advfn.com/Baltia-Air-Lines-Inc-BLTA-918

I met Barry Clare at a local restaurant in NY. Tried his darndest to sell me stock. I hope I'm wrong but I really think that the entire Baltia is just about stock sales and not about ever taking flight.

@ Matt -- Once weekly service? Not sure how they plan on build up a passenger base with such limited service. Negates the benefit of a nonstop flight, IMO.

@Andrew B - that's 1. Not really likely to happen and 2. Only for flights overflowing Russia, not flights into Russia

OTC = scam

And an airline startup that trades on the OTC is guaranteed to be a scam.

For those such as myself which don't know, what is the glamour with a 747-200?

@Matt: But why fly JFK-RIX with this unknown Baltia company when you could fly this route with the trusted Uzbekistan Airways?

But in all honesty, I'm interested to see how this will turn out. At www.baltia.com/farerules.html, they state that all tickets will have free changes and full-refund cancellations, even after departure. Not too sure how they can really make money that way. . .

Is it possible that this is a plot to sneak russian soldiers into the US?

When i first saw that rooster I thought this airline was based in Kauai 🙂

@ Newb -- I find the 747 to be the most gorgeous plane in the sky, and you just don't see the -200 a lot anymore.

Here are some cabin pics. Don't know if it will be refurbished or not (guessing the latter)
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-networker/2011/09/all-about-baltia-air-lines-jfk/

Oh dear, perhaps it will be the next wolf of wall street? No wait, The Rooster of wallstreet! (not the nyc one, because obviously they couldent afford it!)

@Endre Good one!

...and on that note, be very weary if they announce "humanitarian flights" to Donetsk or Luhansk.

"... two of the world’s most prominent cities – New York and St. Petersburg..."

ROTFLMAO

Everyone knows that only one of these cities is "prominent", and it ain't New York.

Would love to get a flight on the 747-200 if this airline begins ops. Another interesting startup that seems to be a ways off is American West Jets which plans to fly ex Eastern L1011s from LAS and SBD. Apparently they bought the certificate of Ryan International a few months back but haven't heard anything since.

@ Andrew M -- Eeek! Wonder what first and business class looks like with that product.

From the linked article it appears that the airplanes are from 1975 & 1979. Perhaps they are going to keep original seats as a novelty. Hipster chic! 😛

Did Matt real suggest that Ihub is a good place for info? If you like paid Bashers and posters with an agenda, Ihub is your place. If you want a REAL message board with REAL investors, investors hangout is your place. I'm going to be a rich man soon and all of you Bashers and naysayers will be on the outside looking in.

I worked for TWA in the 1980's in flight operations. We trained a class of pilots for Baltia on the 767. On the last day of class they were sent home by the Baltia management. Most were ex Pan Am pilots. I felt terrible for them. At that time, they were planning a New York-Riga route.