DUBAI, November 12. /TASS/. Latvia's AirBaltic plans its passenger services from Riga to Russian cities will grow by 15% in the current year, the company's CEO Martin Gauss told TASS on sidelines of the air show in Dubai on Sunday.

"This year we plan the growth of 15%, and a similar growth in 2018," he said.

The company will serve at the Russian direction within the current year 3.5 million passengers, he added.

Earlier, Gauss told TASS in the coming year the company would open flights from Riga to Russia's Sochi and Kaliningrad. The flights would be performed by Bombardier CS300.

AirBaltic is a Latvian carrier, which main shareholder is the state (80.05%). The company makes direct flights from Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius to European cities, including Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan.

The company's fleet unites 30 aircraft - seven Bombardier CS300, five Boeing 737-500s, six Boeing 737-300 and twelve Bombardier Q400 NG.