RAF-Avia explained

RAF-Avia should not be confused with Royal Air Force.

RAF-Avia is a Latvian airline headquartered in Riga^[1] and based at Riga International Airport.^[2]

History

The airline was established in 1990 with the purpose of delivering parts and manufacturing materials for the Riga Autobus Factory (RAF), with the factory buying at least 4 planes. It started operations in 1991.^[2] In 1994, RAF-Avia began to move into the commercial charter sector. In 1996, it became a private limited company. It is 100% owned by the RAF-Avia group.

In August 2016, the airline stationed two aircraft at Frankfurt Hahn Airport to operate ad hoc charter flights.^[3]

Destinations

RAF-Avia operates cargo services for TNT, DHL and others, as well as transport for the military and the United Nations and passenger charters. In late 2015 RAF-Avia announced that it is considering starting regular passenger flights in 2016.

Fleet

Current fleet

, RAF-Avia operates the following aircraft:^[4]

Former fleet

The RAF-Avia fleet previously included the following aircraft (as of September 2015):^[5]

• 1 further Antonov An-26

Incidents and accidents

• On 29 October 2014, an RAF-Avia An-26 was guided to Stansted Airport by RAF fighter jets after losing communication with air traffic controllers over southern England.^[6]
• On 7 January 2019, the SAAB 340B YL-RAF on a positioning flight from Riga to Savonlinna (EFSA, FI) skidded off the runway during landing and was stuck in snow. While there were no injuries, there was damage to the aircraft at both propellers, landing lights and tyres.^[7]
• On April 26, 2021, an RAF-Avia AN-26 flying from Helsinki to St. Petersburg made an emergency landing at Pulkovo Airport due to a failure of the left engine. The landing was made safely and without casualties.^[8]
• On February 6, 2024, the SAAB 340A YL-RAL, on wet-lease for Aeroitalia, suffered a failure of the left-hand engine during the initial climb out of Rome Fiumicino. The aircraft returned safely to Rome after a few minutes.

Notes and References

1. . RAF-Avia. Retrieved on 9 September 2010. Vienibas gatve 26A, Riga, LV 1004, Latvia."
2. [Flight International]
3. http://www.dvz.de/rubriken/luftfracht/single-view/nachricht/flughafen-frankfurt-hahn-gewinnt-raf-avia-als-kunden.html
4. Global Airline Guide 2025 - RAF-Avia . Airliner World . September 2025 . 65.
5. Web site: Fleetico | RAF-AVIA. 19 September 2015. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111300/http://www.rafavia.lv/fleet. dead.
6. Web site: Sonic boom sounds over Kent after RAF intercept Latvian cargo plane. TheGuardian.com. 29 October 2014.
7. Web site: Accident: RafAvia SF34 at Savonlinna on Jan 7th 2019, runway excursion on landing.
8. Web site: 2021-04-26 . Сегодня в аэропорту Пулково аварийно сел грузовой самолет из Финляндии - 53 Новости . 2023-05-04 . 53news.ru . ru-RU.