AirBaltic
| File:AirBaltic logo.svg airBaltic logo | |
| Company type | Joint-stock company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | August 28, 1995 |
| Founder | Latvian government, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) |
| Headquarters | Mārupe municipality (Riga International Airport) , Latvia |
Area served | Europe, Middle East |
Key people | Pauls Cālītis (interim CEO) |
| Products | Passenger air transport, airfreight |
| Owner | Republic of Latvia (Ministry of Transport) (97.97%) |
Number of employees | 2,531 (2023) |
| Website | www |
airBaltic, officially known as AS Air Baltic Corporation, serves as the flag carrier of Latvia and is headquartered at Riga International Airport within the Mārupe municipality. Its primary base is located in Riga, complemented by additional hubs in Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere, and since 2023, a seasonal hub at Las Palmas. The Latvian government holds a majority ownership of 87.97%, and the airline’s fleet consists solely of Airbus A220 aircraft. It features a frequent flyer program called airBaltic Club and offers a paid meal service onboard.
Early history
In June 1992, Baltic International Airlines (BIA), a joint venture between Latvia and the United States, was established but failed to acquire any part of the state-run airline Latavio. Following Latavio's bankruptcy in 1995, airBaltic was created through collaboration between Baltic International Airlines and the Latvian government.
airBaltic was officially founded on 28 August 1995 as a partnership between Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and the Latvian state, commencing flights on 1 October 1995 using a Saab 340 aircraft from Riga. The airline expanded its fleet in 1996 by adding its first Avro RJ70 and integrated into SAS's frequent flyer program. By 1998, airBaltic introduced Fokker 50 planes and launched a cargo division.
Transitioning to a joint stock company in 1999, airBaltic replaced Saab 340s with Fokker 50s and aligned operations with European Aviation Operating Standards (JAR ops). The early 2000s saw further fleet growth with Boeing 737-500s introduced in 2003, alongside new routes from Vilnius starting in 2004. In October that year, the airline rebranded to airBaltic, adopting its signature all-white fuselage and lime-colored tailfin design.
Fleet upgrades continued with Boeing 737-300s equipped with winglets arriving in 2006, followed by the launch of online check-in services in 2007. The addition of Boeing 757 aircraft for long-haul routes occurred in 2008. Between 2010 and their phase-out in 2023, airBaltic operated leased De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 turboprops.
Maintaining a close partnership with SAS, which held a 47.2% stake until January 2009, airBaltic’s shares were sold to Baltijas aviācijas sistēmas Ltd (BAS). Initially owned by Bertolt Flick, half of BAS’s shares transferred to Taurus Asset Management Fund Limited by December 2010. Although not affiliated with any global airline alliance, airBaltic holds codeshare agreements with several Star Alliance carriers.
Secondary hubs were established at Vilnius and Tallinn airports; however, many routes from Tallinn were discontinued shortly after launch, eliciting criticism from Estonian consumer protection authorities.
Development since 2010
Facing financial difficulties and political controversies, airBaltic sought over 60 million lats in capital infusion by August 2011. Plans announced in September that year included cutting half of its workforce and canceling approximately 700 flights monthly to prevent grounding. An anonymous investor proposed €9.6 million for additional shares. By October, the Latvian government and BAS agreed to inject around 100 million lats proportionally based on ownership stakes. The incumbent CEO resigned, with Martin Gauss—former head of Malév Hungarian Airlines—taking over leadership.
Although announced as a secondary hub in September 2010, plans for Oulu Airport were abandoned by early 2012 due to financial constraints. A restructuring program aimed at returning profitability by 2014 helped reduce losses from €121.5 million in 2011 to €27.2 million in 2012.
Following a banking collapse that impacted financing, the Latvian state increased its ownership to 99.8% in November 2011. In November 2015, the government approved selling a 20% stake to German investor Ralf Dieter Montag-Girmes for €52 million and contributed an additional €80 million capital injection supporting the Horizon 2021 business plan focused on fleet renewal. After the shutdowns of Air Lituanica (June 2015), Estonian Air (November 2015), and Nordica (November 2024), airBaltic remains the sole flag carrier operating within the Baltic region.
The introduction of Bombardier CS300 aircraft commenced on 29 November 2016 to replace most Boeing 737-300s and -500s by the year 2020. Two CS300 units were delivered in late 2016 with plans for six more in 2017, eight during 2018, and an additional four by 2020. To replace its Q400 turboprop fleet starting from around 2020, airBaltic evaluated options from Bombardier and Embraer for up to fourteen new aircraft. In September 2017, it committed to acquiring at least fourteen more CSeries jets (renamed Airbus A220 following Airbus's majority acquisition during 2017–18), aiming for an all-CSeries fleet early in the next decade. A subsequent order for up to sixty CS300 aircraft was announced in May 2018.
Operations were suspended temporarily on 17 March 2020 due to the global COVID-19 crisis but resumed limited services from May that year. In December 2021, airBaltic revealed plans for a secondary hub at Tampere–Pirkkala Airport launching May 2022; this was followed by announcing a seasonal base at Gran Canaria Airport in June 2023.
Since early 2022, airBaltic has engaged primarily in wet leasing activities for Swiss International Air Lines and secured regulatory approval for extended wet leasing arrangements within the Lufthansa Group as of early 2024. Currently, it operates some flights on behalf of Swiss.
Post-pandemic initiatives include launching the Planies NFT collection tied to its loyalty program during 2022 and partnering with Starlink in 2023 to provide complimentary inflight Wi-Fi across its entire fleet—a pioneering move among European airlines—with installations scheduled through to 2025.
In November of 2023, airBaltic announced a codeshare partnership with Delta Air Lines covering twenty routes.
Due to Pratt & Whitney engine maintenance delays affecting its A220 fleet beginning January 2025, airBaltic had to suspend or reduce frequencies on multiple routes, resulting in over four thousand six hundred flight cancellations impacting more than sixty-seven thousand passengers. Despite these operational challenges and capacity limitations caused by wet leasing nearly half its aircraft to Lufthansa Group affiliates, airBaltic continues serving over seventy destinations.
On January 29th, 2025, an agreement was signed between Latvia’s Ministry of Transport, airBaltic, and Lufthansa Group whereby Lufthansa would invest €14 million for a convertible minority stake representing ten percent ownership along with a Supervisory Board seat; conversion is anticipated contingent upon a potential initial public offering.
On April seventh, twenty twenty-five, Martin Gauss was relieved from his CEO position following loss of confidence by government stakeholders; former Chief Operating Officer Pauls Cālītis assumed interim CEO responsibilities bringing thirty years’ experience with airBaltic including tenure as a pilot.
Corporate affairs
The present headquarters of airBaltic, located at Riga Airport, commenced operations in 2016.
Ownership
As of December 2023, airBaltic functions as a joint-stock company with the following shareholders:
| Shareholders | Ownership Stake |
|---|---|
| Republic of Latvia (Ministry of Transport) | 97.97% |
| Aircraft Leasing 1 SIA (privately held by investor Lars Thuesen) | 2.03% |
| Miscellaneous | 0.000084% |
| Total | 100% |
Financials
Intermittently released financial data for airBaltic illustrate its operational magnitude and market standing (amounts in €m, year-end):
|2024 (projection) |\747\'\'\' |\Template:Color\\'\'\' |\2,786\'\'\' |\5\.1\'\'\' |\81\'\'\' |\49\'\'\'| Year | Revenue (€m) |
Net Income (€m) |
Staff (year end) |
Passengers (m) |
Load Factor (%) |
Fleet Size (year end) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 21 | |||||
| 2008 | 2.6 | 62 | 28 | |||
| 2009 | 261 | 20 | 2.8 | 68 | 31 | |
| 2010 | 292 | −52 | 1,443 | 3.2 | 69 | 35 |
| 2011 | 327 | −121 | 3.3 | 75 | 34 | |
| 2012 | 325 | −27 | 1,100 | 3.1 | 72 | 28 |
| 2013 | 325 | 1 | 2.9 | 25 | ||
| 2014 | 300 | 9 | 2.6 | 70 | 24 | |
| 2015 | 285 | 19.5 | 1,171 | 2.6 | 71 | 24 |
| 2016 | 286 | 1.2 | 1,266 | 2.9 | 74 | 25 |
| 2017 | 348 | 4.6 | 1,415 | 3.5 | 76 | 30 |
| 2018 | 409 | 5.4 | 1,585 | 4.1 | 75 | 34 |
| 2019 | 503 | -7.7 | 1,716 | 5.0 | 76 | 39 |
| 2020* | 140 | -278 | 1,195 | 1.3 | 52 | 37 |
| 2021 | 202 | -134 | 1,559 | 1.6 | 54 | 44 |
| 2022 | 500 | -54.2 | 2,143 | 3.3 | 71 | 39 |
| 2023 | 668 | 33.7 | 2,531 | 4.5 | 77 | 46 |
- Figures adjusted to reflect the COVID-19 pandemic impact.
This financial summary demonstrates airBaltic's expansion in fleet size and passenger volume alongside variable profitability shaped by market dynamics and organizational restructuring.
Destinations
airBaltic offers both year-round and seasonal short-haul services departing from Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius airports, concentrating on key urban centers and holiday locales throughout Europe and the Middle East. While it does not operate long-distance flights directly, the airline maintains code-share partnerships with Finnair and Lufthansa to facilitate through-ticketed connections on long-haul routes.
Below is an overview of airBaltic's served destinations:
rowspan="8" style="vertical-align:top;"|(Italy )||(various cities listed below)
airBaltic has established codeshare partnerships with a wide range of airlines, thereby expanding its network and improving connectivity:
- Aegean Airlines
- Air Canada
- Air France
- Air Serbia
- Austrian Airlines
- Azerbaijan Airlines
- British Airways
- Brussels Airlines
- Bulgaria Air
- Delta Air Lines
- Emirates
- Iberia
- Icelandair
- ITA Airways
- KLM
- KM Malta Airlines
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Scandinavian Airlines
- Swiss Airlines
- TAP Air Portugal
- TAROM
- Turkish Airlines
- Uzbekistan Airways
Current fleet
, airBaltic's fleet is composed exclusively of the all-Airbus A220 aircraft, detailed as follows:
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A220-300 | 50[1] | 40[2] | 145 | Launch customer globally.[3][4] Includes 30 options and 20 purchase rights, with options firmed as of November 2023.[5][6] Four aircraft feature liveries representing the Baltic states.[7] Fourteen planes are wet leased, with eight operated on behalf of SWISS.[8][9] |
| 149[10][11] | ||||
| Total | 50 | 40 | ||
Fleet expansion
airBaltic aims to grow its aircraft count to 100 by the year 2030. In November 2023, the carrier placed an order for 30 additional A220-300 planes, followed by a further 10 in August 2024, increasing the anticipated fleet size to 90. Presently, airBaltic holds the distinction of being the largest operator of the A220-300 worldwide and is set to receive its 50th unit in February 2025. This milestone aircraft, bearing the registration YL-ABX, will showcase a unique special paint scheme.
Previous fleet
Historically, airBaltic has operated a diverse range of aircraft types, gradually shifting its fleet composition towards the Airbus A220-300 as part of its modernization efforts:
| Aircraft | Quantity | Entered Service | Withdrawn | Successor | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A319-100 | 1 | 2013 | 2014 | Airbus A220-300 | Operated on lease from Czech Airlines |
| Airbus A320-200 | 4 | 2023 | 2023 | None | Leased from Avion Express |
| Avro RJ70 | 3 | 1996 | 2005 | None | |
| Boeing 737-300 | 9 | 2007 | 2020 | Airbus A220-300 | |
| Boeing 737-500 | 11 | 2003 | 2019 | ||
| Boeing 757-200 | 2 | 2008 | 2014 | None | |
| British Aerospace 146-200 | 1 | 1995 | 1996 | Avro RJ70 | Leased from Manx Airlines |
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 | 12 | 2010 | 2023 | Airbus A220-300 | |
| Fokker 50 | 10 | 1998 | 2013 | De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 | |
| Saab 340 | 3 | 1995 | 1999 | Fokker 50 |
Paint schemes
The initial livery applied to Avro RJ70s consisted of a white fuselage complemented by blue and white coloring on both engines and the vertical stabilizer. The subsequent generation introduced lime green accents on the wingtips and vertical fin, updated the logo to read airBaltic.com, and retained metallic-colored engines marked with "airBaltic."
Up until December 2019, the color scheme featured a white fuselage paired with lime green on the vertical tail, wingtips, and engine nacelles. Starting in December of that year, lime green extended along the rear fuselage beneath the vertical stabilizer while the tail cone remained white. The stylized dark blue "airBaltic" branding stretched across the windows on the fuselage side and appeared on the underside as well. This design primarily adorns aircraft such as the A319, A320, A320neo, and A220 models.
Distinctive liveries
To honor the three Baltic nations, four A220 aircraft display liveries inspired by their national flags—one each representing Estonia and Lithuania, with two dedicated to Latvia. Early in 2024, airBaltic organized a public contest to create a special livery for its landmark 50th Airbus A220-300; the winning design is slated to debut alongside this aircraft’s delivery.
Another unique paint scheme for this milestone aircraft depicts a girl flying amid clouds with flowing hair crowned by a traditional wreath featuring Latvia’s flag colors. The artwork incorporates motifs from Baltic culture and nature, including a ladybug, swallow, and stork. airBaltic adapted this original artwork to comply with aviation technical standards.
Honors and accolades
On June 24, 2024, airBaltic received recognition as the 2024 Best Airline in Eastern Europe by Skytrax.
Incidents and accidents
- In Oslo during 2015, an airBaltic crew member was apprehended before departure due to alcohol levels exceeding legal limits—specifically, a co-pilot was found with seven times over the permissible amount. The second officer was sentenced to six months imprisonment; other crew members faced legal action.
- On September 17, 2016, a de Havilland Dash 8-400 (registration YL-BAI) executed a landing at Riga without deploying its nose landing gear because of mechanical failure.
- On December 6, 2017, amid strong winds and slippery conditions at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport, an airBaltic Boeing 737-500 veered off a taxiway after touchdown.
- On December 3, 2021, heavy snowfall caused an Airbus A220-300 (YL-CSE) arriving from Stockholm to slide off Riga Airport’s runway upon landing.
- On March 9, 2023, another Airbus A220-300 (YL-AAP) slid off the runway at Riga Airport following arrival from Paris during severe snow conditions.
External links
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