FlightGlobal
• Joseph Dainty
The Latvian carrier has notified Latvia’s State Employment Agency of a planned collective redundancy process affecting employees across its Baltic operations, where it employs about 3,000 people. airBaltic says the cuts will not affect its flight schedule; reports also describe the move as part of a broader effort to scale back.
airBaltic
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The Latvian carrier has notified Latvia’s State Employment Agency of a planned collective redundancy process affecting employees across its Baltic operations, where it employs about 3,000 people. airBaltic says the cuts will not affect its flight schedule; reports also describe the move as part of a broader effort to scale back.
The Latvian carrier says planned changes under its financial restructuring could affect 500 to 700 positions across its three bases. Discussions with unions are ongoing, and the final number remains unsettled.
An official committee of unsecured creditors has been formed in airBaltic’s Chapter 11 restructuring, according to documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The committee gives unsecured claimants a formal role in the carrier’s court-supervised restructuring process.
airBaltic is removing airsickness bags from seat-back pockets and trash bags from cockpits as the airline intensifies cost-cutting. The changes affect both passengers and crews and come as the carrier continues operating under a Chapter 11 restructuring process.
airBaltic has been given until late in the fourth quarter of 2026 to secure new investors, setting a defined deadline for the Latvian airline’s ownership and financing plans. The requirement adds urgency to its efforts to attract additional capital and clarify its long-term shareholder structure.
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Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary says the airline will not add a fuel surcharge despite rising jet fuel prices, citing hedging through summer 2026. He expects competitors to pass costs to passengers, potentially accelerating failures and consolidation, while Qatar Airways is also holding off on fare increases for now.
SWISS is assessing alternatives for five Airbus A220-300s operated under a wet-lease agreement with financially troubled airBaltic. The Latvian carrier’s crisis could affect SWISS capacity planning, while Lufthansa Group’s 10% stake in airBaltic adds a corporate dimension to the fleet decision.
Ryanair has proposed a five-year, $1.6 billion investment across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, including additional aircraft and routes. The plan comes as airBaltic pursues creditor protection, positioning Ryanair to capitalize on weakness at the Baltic region’s established network carrier.
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