Anta Jokste

General Manager at Estravel Latvia

Anta Jokste has witnessed the very beginnings of airBaltic. She is the leader of the Estravel Latvia, the Latvian branch of Estravel Group AS, one of the Baltics’ most established and respected travel agencies – and one of airBaltic’s longest-standing partners.

“I vividly recall the moment they asked me to give feedback on the original airBaltic logo — a design with a plane flying in the shape of a heart,” she shares. “It perfectly reflected the genuine dedication behind the airline’s founding. You could sense the care, conviction, and national pride that went into bringing this idea to life.”

At the time, the team was small – a mix of Scandinavian specialists with strategic and technical expertise and Latvian professionals with deep knowledge of the local travel industry. “We were all incredibly proud. It was a big beginning with huge potential,” Jokste shares.

Over the years, the partnership between the two companies has grown even stronger, weathering both major challenges and periods of growth. Like aviation, the travel industry is tightly linked to global events – economic shifts, natural disasters, political changes, and geopolitical tensions. And as the recent pandemic proved, also to unpredictable circumstances. “We’ve been through all of it together,” says the Estravel leader.

Jokste also serves in the Association of Latvian Travel Agents and Operators, often representing the voice of the tourism industry. “When decisions are made at the national level, input from tourism experts is always requested – and time and again, we’ve expressed strong support for airBaltic. It remains the only national airline in the Baltics, and it’s Latvia’s responsibility to stand behind it. The impact reaches far beyond tourism – it positively influences the entire economy.”

As technology has evolved, so has travel culture and customer behavior. “In the past, people came to us in person to purchase tickets. They were printed in paper format, issued by the airline in limited quantities, and stored in a safe. But with the rise of the internet, many holiday travelers now book directly through airline websites. For a while, we almost became competitors. However, our collaboration has grown even closer again, especially in the corporate segment, where we remain one of airBaltic’s leading partners.”

Jokste values not only the professional relationship, but also the quality of day-to-day cooperation. “The responsiveness of airBaltic colleagues has always been outstanding, whether it’s resolving challenges or preparing custom offers. We have a dedicated support team that speaks Latvian – that’s a huge advantage compared to other airlines, whose call centers might be located in places like India or South Africa. We always find solutions, and in 95% of cases, the client is satisfied.”

She also highlights airBaltic’s creative and hands-on approach when working with the Sales team: “We’ve developed joint projects, taken part in international expos, and organized educational trips for travel agency employees to new destinations. These are special experiences. We get to explore both Economy and Business Class service, go on local tours, and return home with content we can immediately use with our clients.”

“On behalf of the Estravel Group team, I sincerely congratulate airBaltic on its anniversary. May we share many more beautiful victories together, flying under clear skies!” says Anta Jokste.