Riga sets the tone as Nordic Air Cargo Symposium opens with record attendance

• The Nordic Air Cargo Symposium 2026 has officially opened in Riga, bringing together industry leaders from across global aviation and logistics, as record attendance underscored the industry’s determination to navigate an increasingly complex global landscape together.

• Bringing together delegates from 28 countries, this year’s event marks the largest gathering in the symposium’s history. It reflected both the urgency of current market challenges and the growing importance of regional platforms in shaping global air cargo strategy.

Opening the event, Lars-Gunnar Comén, founder of Euroavia International, highlighted the scale and significance of the Nordic Air Cargo Symposium.

As global trade corridors continue to shift, the Baltic region is increasingly positioning itself as a stable and connected gateway between Europe and wider international markets.

Lars-Gunnar pointed to the region’s growing integration within European logistics networks, noting: “The Baltic region is becoming ever more integrated with the Nordic countries and the rest of Europe.”

This positioning is gaining relevance as geopolitical tensions reshape airspace availability and routing patterns. Northern and Eastern Europe are attracting renewed attention as alternative corridors for cargo flows, offering flexibility in an otherwise constrained operating environment.

Air cargo’s strategic role reinforced

Latvia’s Minister of Transport, Atis Švinka, reinforced the importance of air cargo beyond its operational function, framing it as a core driver of economic activity and connectivity.

He pointed to continued global growth in cargo volumes, driven in large part by the rapid expansion of e-commerce, while also acknowledging the pressures facing the industry. Airspace closures, regional conflicts and fuel price volatility are reshaping network planning and increasing operational complexity.

At the same time, these shifts are creating opportunities for regions able to offer capacity, infrastructure and efficiency. Riga, in particular, is positioning itself to capture part of this transition through investment and targeted development.

Riga Airport strengthens its cargo ambitions

For RIX Riga Airport, cargo is no longer viewed as a secondary activity but as a central pillar of its long-term strategy.

Recent investments in infrastructure, digitalisation and operational processes are aimed at building a more agile and competitive cargo platform. The airport is working closely with logistics partners and authorities to improve efficiency and predictability—factors that are becoming increasingly critical as supply chains adapt to disruption.

“Our goal is clear, to make Riga the most efficient, customer-oriented and innovative cargo gateway in the Baltic region.”

Taking over as conference chairwoman, Anna-Maria Kirchner, Head of Global Sales at Finnair Cargo, framed the discussion within the context of ongoing volatility and the need for a collective response.

“We gather at a time where our industry and the world around us is anything but not predictable.”

From shifting trade lanes to geopolitical tensions and rising fuel costs, the industry is operating in conditions where uncertainty has become a constant rather than an exception. Yet, despite these pressures, air cargo continues to play a stabilising role in global trade.

Kirchner emphasised that the ability to respond effectively depends on the strength of the wider ecosystem: “It’s not an individual sport. This is a team sport.”

In this environment, collaboration across airlines, airports, forwarders and technology providers is becoming a defining factor in maintaining service continuity and adapting to rapid change.

From recovery to redefinition

While previous industry discussions focused on recovery from the pandemic, the narrative has now shifted towards redefinition—how the sector evolves structurally to operate under sustained pressure. Kirchner highlighted this transition, noting that the focus is no longer on returning to previous norms, but on adapting to a new operating reality.

“We are not here for the sprint, we are here for the marathon.”

The opening session in Riga made clear that from geopolitical fragmentation to evolving trade dynamics, the sector is entering a phase where adaptability will outweigh predictability.

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