Your Guide to Air Cargo at RIX

Unicore Overseas is an IATA accredited freight forwarder in Riga. This guide covers which handling agent at Riga Airport (RIX) has your cargo, which airlines fly direct and which truck cargo to a hub, who else works on the cargo side, and which freighters the airport can take.

By Unicore Overseas SIA teamLast updated: 5 October 2026

How to Find Your Shipment's Warehouse

When your cargo arrives, it goes to a specific handling agent's warehouse. The agent is determined by the airline that carried your goods.

The easiest way to know where to go is by looking at your Air Waybill (AWB).

Three Simple Steps:

1Find your 11-digit AWB number. It is usually at the top left, top right, and bottom right of the document.
2The first 3 digits are the airline prefix. This prefix tells you which airline it is.
3Match the airline to its handling agent in the list below.

Example:

If your AWB number is 020-12345678, the prefix is 020. This is Lufthansa Cargo. Looking below, you will see that Lufthansa Cargo is handled by AG Handling. That's where your shipment will be!

Important Note:

If your number is shorter or longer than 11 digits, it might be a House Air Waybill (HAWB) or a courier tracking number (like DHL, UPS, etc.). These follow a different process. If you are unsure, contact us, and we will help you trace it.

RIX Air Cargo Handling Agents

Each card shows the airlines with direct flights to Riga and the airlines that truck cargo to and from their hub (RFS). Some do both. RFS cargo is handled at the same warehouse, but the truck leg to or from the hub often takes 1 to 3 days. What RFS means

Baltic Cargo Center (Baltic Cargo Hub)

Address:

Mazā Gramzdas iela 9B, Lidosta "Rīga", LV-1053

Customer Service:

+371 67068777

Import Dept (After Hours):

+371 67668457 / +371 26129611

Email:

office@balticcargocenter.com

Opening Hours:

Mon–Fri: 09:00 – 19:00

Sat: 10:00 – 16:00

Sun: Closed

Handles Airlines:

Direct flights

657 - AirBaltic Cargo
117 - SAS CargoCPH

RFS (by truck via hub)

157 - Qatar Airways Cargo
999 - Air China Cargo
098 - Air India
014 - Air Canada

No direct flights. Cargo goes by RFS truck only, to and from the airlines' hubs in Helsinki (HEL), Frankfurt (FRA), Stockholm (ARN) and Amsterdam (AMS).

ACTS (Aviation Cargo Transit Services Ltd.)

Address:

Ziemeļu iela 16, Mārupes novads, LV-1053

Customer Service:

+371 67 930 201

Email:

info@cargorix.com

Opening Hours:

Mon–Fri: 09:00 – 17:00

Sat: Closed

Sun: Closed

Handles Airlines:

Direct flights

250 - Uzbekistan AirwaysTAS
235 - Turkish AirlinesIST

RFS (by truck via hub)

235 - Turkish Airlines

Daily RFS truck to and from Tallinn (TLL), Vilnius (VNO) and Helsinki (HEL), connecting to and from Istanbul (IST).

AG Handling

Address:

Ziemeļu iela 12, Lidosta, Mārupes pag., Rīga

Dzirnieku iela 26, Mārupe, LV-2167

Customer Service:

+371 67009133

Email:

cargo@aghandling.lv / rix.cargo@aghandling.aero

Opening Hours:

(Varies, please call to confirm)

Handles Airlines:

Direct flights

020 - Lufthansa CargoFRA
080 - LOT Polish AirlinesWAW
105 - Finnair CargoHEL
328 - NorwegianOSL, ARN, CPH

RFS (by truck via hub)

020 - Lufthansa CargoFRA
080 - LOT Polish AirlinesWAW
105 - Finnair CargoHEL
724 - Swiss CargoZRH
082 - Brussels AirlinesBRU
018 - Juneyao AirlinesHEL
131 - Japan AirlinesHEL
784 - China SouthernHEL, import only
108 - Icelandair CargoHEL, export only
289 - MIAT Mongolian AirlinesHEL, export only
738 - Vietnam AirlinesHEL, export only
729 - Avianca Cargoexport only
756 - ASL Airlines Belgiumexport only

FRA = Frankfurt, WAW = Warsaw, ZRH = Zurich, BRU = Brussels, HEL = Helsinki. Other airlines truck import cargo in less regularly from other European hubs, such as Amsterdam (AMS).

Cargo operators and warehouses at Riga Airport

Riga Airport's list of cargo operators names six companies: three handling agents that work for the airlines and three express courier companies. Freight forwarders such as Unicore aren't on it, because we don't physically handle cargo at the airport. We book space with the airline, then hand the cargo to the handling agent or collect it from them.

Company	Role	Warehouse and facilities	Regulated agent no. (CAA)
Baltic Cargo Center	Airline cargo handling agent	Baltic Cargo HUB terminal with direct access to the cargo apron and 5,000 m² of warehouse space. Storage at −18 °C, +2/+8 °C and +15/+25 °C, and separate storage for dangerous goods (DGR), live animals (AVI), vulnerable cargo (VUN) and valuables (VAL). Customs and food and veterinary checkpoints in the same building.	LV/RA/00001-01
ACTS (Aviation Cargo Transit Services)	Airline cargo handling agent	Customs-bonded warehouse 100 m from the cargo apron: 2,000 m² indoors and 7,120 m² of bonded outdoor space. Perishables centre with vacuum cooling, cold storage for up to 100 t of food, and X-ray screening. Customs, phytosanitary and food and veterinary inspection on site.	LV/RA/00003-01
AG Handling	Airline cargo handling agent	Two warehouses, 2,500 m² in total. Rooms for perishables (−18 °C or +8 °C), for valuables and weapons, and for dangerous goods. Security checks, customs warehouse services, and inbound and outbound RFS trucks.	LV/RA/00004-01
FedEx Express Latvia	Express courier	Shipments move in the FedEx network under a FedEx tracking number.	LV/RA/00006-01
EKL/LS (UPS)	Express courier	Authorised UPS service contractor in Latvia since 2000. Shipments move in the UPS network.	LV/RA/00008-01
DHL Express Latvia	Express courier	DHL Express terminal at the airport since 2021. Shipments move in the DHL network.	LV/RA/00009-02

Sources: Riga Airport cargo operators, the RIX Cargo brochure and the CAA list of regulated agents (updated 7 July 2026). Checked on 5 October 2026.

Express courier or air freight?

A shipment with a FedEx, UPS or DHL Express tracking number travels in that company's own network, and the courier usually clears customs too. Cargo on an airline air waybill (11 digits, the first three are the airline prefix) goes to one of the three handling agents. That's the cargo Unicore books, clears and delivers.

Security screening and regulated agents

In the EU, air cargo has to be secure before it's loaded: it either comes from a known consignor or a regulated agent screens it. In Latvia the Civil Aviation Agency (CAA) publishes the list of regulated agents. The list updated on 7 July 2026 names eight regulated agents: the six companies in the table, Latvijas pasts (LV/RA/00010-01) and Kreiss (LV/RA/00011-01). It also lists one known consignor, Latvijas Banka, and one approved haulier, Kim Johansen Transport.

All three handling agents are regulated agents and can screen cargo in their own warehouses. Cargo stays secure only while the security chain holds, including on an RFS truck.

What Is RFS (Road Feeder Service)?

RFS is a truck that carries air cargo between airports under an airline flight number. Several airlines in the lists above have no cargo flights to Riga. They collect and deliver Riga cargo by RFS truck and fly it from their hub. Others, such as Lufthansa, LOT, Finnair and Turkish Airlines, fly to Riga and run RFS trucks as well. For the airline and on your documents, it's still an air shipment.

How It Works in Practice

Booked and documented as air freight
The truck leg carries an airline flight number (often four digits, such as LH 9xxx) and appears in the schedules. The shipment moves on the master air waybill (MAWB), with the airline as carrier.
Airline liability and rules apply
The Montreal or Warsaw Convention covers the shipment, the airline's handling rules apply, and you pay air rates, not road tariffs. Secured cargo stays secured as long as the chain is maintained.
Typical use: feeding hub airports
Airlines use RFS to feed their hubs from regional airports, and in Europe it's very common. Much of the cargo booked Riga to Frankfurt or Vilnius to Helsinki reaches the hub by truck before it's loaded on the wide-body long-haul flight. Lufthansa Cargo, Air France-KLM, Finnair, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways all run it.
Why airlines use it
On short sectors a truck is cheaper than belly or freighter space. There are no narrow-body volume or weight limits, and it takes oversized pieces that won't fit in an A320 hold.

What It Means for Your Shipment

Allow time for the truck
The truck leg to or from the hub often takes 1 to 3 days, so airport-to-airport transit from a secondary airport such as Riga can be longer than customers expect.
Check dangerous goods for each sector
ADR road rules or the truck operator can restrict some DG classes and commodities on RFS legs. Check DGR acceptance for every sector, including the truck leg.
Customs
Within the EU the truck leg is simple. Across a customs border, for example to or from the UK, Norway or Switzerland, the truck runs under transit (T1 or TIR) because the air cargo is still in international movement.

You may also see RFS spelled out as Road Feeder Services or Road Flight Service. It's the same thing.

Which freighters RIX can handle

If a shipment won't fit in the hold of a passenger aircraft, the next step is a freighter or a charter. Riga Airport and its ground handling service, RIX Ground Handling, publish these figures:

The aprons and runway take aircraft up to the Boeing 747-8F, and RIX Ground Handling can handle a B747-8F with inbound and outbound ULDs and pallets.
Highloaders that lift up to 14 t, plus forklifts, container and pallet dollies, and tugs.
Three E-class stands set aside for cargo aircraft since the second half of 2020.
A 3,200 × 45 m runway, open 24 hours, with no curfew and no slot restrictions.
Customs, border control and food and veterinary checkpoints for cargo, open 24/7.
Rescue and fire-fighting cover up to category 9, on at least 12 hours' notice.

To check whether a piece fits a given aircraft, use our aircraft cargo compatibility checker.

Sources: RIX Ground Handling, Cargo Aircraft page and RIX Cargo opportunities page and brochure. Checked on 5 October 2026.

What Does a Cargo Handling Agent Do — and What Don't They Do?

An Air Cargo Handling Agent (also known as a Ground Handling Agent) manages the physical and administrative processing of freight between air and land. They act as the operational bridge between the airline, freight forwarders, and airport authorities. This is not the same role as a freight forwarder.

✓What They Do (Services Performed)

Warehouse Operations
Receive, weigh, measure, and store freight within the airport cargo terminal.
Physical Handling
Operate heavy machinery (forklifts, K-loaders, and conveyor belts) to build and break down cargo pallets and containers (Unit Load Devices or ULDs).
Documentation Check
Verify Air Waybills (AWBs), commercial invoices, and verify security statuses for cargo.
Special Cargo Processing
Provide temperature-controlled storage and handling for perishables, pharmaceuticals, live animals, and dangerous goods.
Aircraft Loading & Unloading
Secure cargo in the aircraft holds according to strict weight and balance load plans.
Customs/Security Assistance
Facilitate security screening and cooperate with customs and regulatory bodies during cargo clearance.

✗What They Don't Do (Out of Scope)

Shipping & Freight Booking
They do not directly sell cargo space to individual shippers — this is done by airlines or freight forwarders like Unicore Overseas.
International Customs Clearing
They do not officially clear cargo through customs — this is handled by specialized customs brokers or the consignee/shipper.
Final Delivery
They do not typically deliver cargo to the final customer's door. This "first and last-mile" transport is handled by trucking companies or freight forwarders like Unicore Overseas.
Packaging and Labeling
They do not package, box, or initially label the cargo. Preparing the freight for shipment is the responsibility of the shipper or the freight forwarder.
Flight Operations & Load Planning
While they load the plane, they do not usually create the mathematical load plans or fly the aircraft. That is the job of Airline Load Control and flight crews.

If you need a full-service freight forwarder who handles booking, customs clearance, packaging, and door-to-door delivery — contact Unicore Overseas.

What Happens When My Shipment Arrives? (Import)

Notification

The handling agent receives your cargo and will notify you (the consignee) of its arrival, usually via phone or email from your AWB details.

Free Storage Period

You generally have 48 hours of free storage after the notification is sent. Weekends and holidays are often not included, but this policy varies by agent. After this, storage fees will apply.

Check Shipment Origin

If from the EU (and stayed within the EU): You can go directly to the warehouse to pick up your shipment. You will need to pay the handling fee to the agent before they release the goods. Most agents do not offer door delivery.

If from outside the EU (or left the EU): You must clear customs first.

Customs Clearance (for Non-EU)

This process involves declaring the shipment's commodity, origin, and value to determine the VAT and any import duties. Once paid and documents are checked, customs will release the shipment. After release, you can pay the handling fee and collect your goods.

We can help!

Customs procedures can be complex. Unicore Overseas will be happy to handle all customs formalities for you to ensure a smooth and quick release.

General Airport Info

All agents offer secure handling for dangerous goods, mail, and have refrigerators for temperature-controlled cargo.
Handling costs vary by agent and depend on the shipment's type, volume, and weight.
The State Veterinary Service and Customs Office are located at the Baltic Cargo Hub (BCC).

Thinking About Exporting?

For air exports, the process is much simpler for you. Your freight forwarder handles all the details.

Unicore will manage all handling charges, security, marking and labeling, and customs clearance for your export shipments.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find which handling agent has my cargo at Riga Airport?

Check your Air Waybill (AWB) number. The first 3 digits are the airline prefix code. Match this code with the handling agent list. Baltic Cargo Center (Baltic Cargo Hub) handles AirBaltic Cargo (657) and SAS (117) on direct flights, plus Qatar Airways (157), Air China (999), Air India (098) and Air Canada (014), which have no direct flights and move Riga cargo by RFS truck to and from their hubs in Helsinki, Frankfurt, Stockholm and Amsterdam. ACTS (Aviation Cargo Transit Services Ltd.) handles Uzbekistan Airways (250) and Turkish Airlines (235). Turkish Airlines flies to Istanbul and also runs a daily RFS truck to and from Tallinn, Vilnius and Helsinki, connecting to and from Istanbul. AG Handling handles Lufthansa (020), LOT (080), Finnair (105) and Norwegian (328) on direct flights. It also handles RFS trucks for Lufthansa via Frankfurt, LOT via Warsaw, Swiss Cargo (724) via Zurich, Brussels Airlines (082) via Brussels, and Finnair, Juneyao Airlines (018), Japan Airlines (131), China Southern (784), Icelandair (108), MIAT Mongolian Airlines (289) and Vietnam Airlines (738) via Helsinki, plus export RFS for Avianca Cargo (729) and ASL Airlines Belgium (756).

Is there a cargo warehouse near Riga Airport?

Yes, and that's where Unicore hands over and collects air cargo: all three handling agents run warehouses at Riga Airport. Baltic Cargo Center works from the Baltic Cargo HUB terminal (5,000 m², direct access to the cargo apron), ACTS has a 2,000 m² customs-bonded warehouse 100 m from the apron, and AG Handling has two warehouses with 2,500 m² in total. Cargo from outside the EU waits there for customs clearance, and storage is usually free for 48 hours after the arrival notice.

What is the free storage period for air cargo at Riga Airport?

Most handling agents offer 48 hours of free storage after notification. Weekends and holidays are often not counted, but policies vary by agent. After the free period, storage fees apply. Contact the specific handling agent for exact terms.

Do I need customs clearance for my air cargo arriving at Riga?

If your cargo arrives from within the EU and hasn't left the EU, you can collect it directly after paying handling fees. If it's from outside the EU, customs clearance is required first. This involves declaring goods, origin, and value to determine VAT and import duties. Unicore Overseas can assist with all customs formalities.

What does RFS mean in air cargo?

RFS (road feeder service) is a truck that carries air cargo between airports under an airline flight number and the master air waybill. Airline liability, rules and air rates apply, as on a flight. At Riga, several airlines, including Qatar Airways, Air China, Air India, Air Canada, Lufthansa, LOT and Finnair, move cargo by RFS truck to and from their hubs. The truck leg often takes 1 to 3 days, so allow for it in the transit time.

Who can send air cargo from Riga Airport to destinations such as Dubai or Rio de Janeiro?

Unicore Overseas does this as an IATA accredited agent (CASS): it books space directly with the airline, issues the air waybill, clears export customs and delivers the cargo to the handling agent for screening and loading. The handling agents at RIX don't sell cargo space to shippers, so you go through an airline or a freight forwarder. For long-haul destinations, cargo from Riga usually connects through an airline hub, reaching it on a direct flight or by RFS truck.

Which express courier companies operate at Riga Airport?

Alongside the three handling agents that Unicore ships air cargo through, Riga Airport lists three express operators: FedEx Express Latvia, EKL/LS (the authorised UPS service contractor) and DHL Express Latvia. They carry shipments in their own networks under their own tracking numbers. Cargo on an airline air waybill goes to Baltic Cargo Center, ACTS or AG Handling instead.

Which companies in Latvia are regulated agents for air cargo security?

When Unicore checked on 5 October 2026, the Civil Aviation Agency (CAA) list updated on 7 July 2026 named eight regulated agents: Baltic Cargo Center (LV/RA/00001-01), Aviation Cargo Transit Services (LV/RA/00003-01), AG Handling (LV/RA/00004-01), FedEx Express Latvia (LV/RA/00006-01), EKL/LS (LV/RA/00008-01), DHL Express Latvia (LV/RA/00009-02), Latvijas pasts (LV/RA/00010-01) and Kreiss (LV/RA/00011-01). A regulated agent may screen cargo so that it can be loaded on an aircraft as secure cargo.

Can Riga Airport handle a Boeing 747-8F freighter?

Yes, according to the figures Riga Airport publishes, which Unicore checked on 5 October 2026: the aprons and runway take aircraft up to the B747-8F, and RIX Ground Handling can handle one with inbound and outbound ULDs and pallets. Its highloaders lift up to 14 t, three E-class stands have been set aside for cargo aircraft since the second half of 2020, and the airport is open 24 hours a day.

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