23 April, 2020

airBaltic cuts costs and schedules more repatriation flights from Vienna, Frankfurt and Amsterdam to Riga

Photo airBaltic

The Latvian airline airBaltic has been forced to cut costs due to the ongoing coronavirus COVID-19 crisis and is in talks with aircraft maker Airbus to delay delivery of some of its Airbus A220 it currently has on order. 

The carrier took a decision to decrease its overall capacity between April 15 and October 31, 2020, cancelling approximately 50% of its flights. In line with the capacity reduction, the company was forced to reduce the number of employees by 40%, providing them with re-employment guarantee among other forms of compensation.

Martin Gauss, CEO of airBaltic: “While running the company during this historic crisis, we have taken significant steps to ensure that the growth story of airBaltic continues when commercial flying resumes in Europe. Our aim is to continue providing the best connectivity to and from the Baltics.”


The airline has achieved lease payment schedules with its lessors, ensuring better liquidity for the upcoming months. Negotiations with the same target are continued with all suppliers. In addition, all investments for 2020 have been postponed and the salaries of the management have been reduced. Negotiations with Airbus about future deliveries of Airbus A220-300 aircraft are still in progress and will further support the new economic conditions after the crisis is over.

Extra flights from Vienna, Frankfurt and Amsterdam to Riga and vice versa.

After a request from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia and with permit from the Ministry of Transport, Latvian airline airBaltic has scheduled additional special flights from Vienna, Frankfurt and Amsterdam to Riga and vice versa. These flights one way will be able to transport up to 140 passengers.

Flight to and from Vienna will take place on April 29. Flights to and from Frankfurt and Amsterdam will be performed on May 7 in addition to the already scheduled flights on April 22, April 29 and May 6.

It is possible to book tickets for these flights via airBaltic telephone call centre dedicated phone line +371 67207771. Please note that during the booking via telephone call the passengers will need to give and confirm their passport details. If you wish to travel from Riga, you must be allowed entry into the respective country. Please check your eligibility with relevant authorities before contacting airBaltic.

airBaltic invites all passengers arriving with any symptoms of the disease to contact the medical staff in Riga International Airport at arrival sectors E and C before baggage reclaim. Passengers arriving from virus affected territories are obliged to stay at home quarantine for 14 days.


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