airBaltic plans 500-700 job cuts amid restructuring

Latvian airline airBaltic said it is preparing to cut around 500 to 700 jobs across its bases in Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn.

The carrier said it is continuing to implement its new business plan, taking steps to adapt its operations and organisational structure to its future business model. As part of this process, airBaltic is preparing workforce adjustments to align its structure and cost base with the carrier’s planned future scale.

Notably, airBaltic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New York in September, aiming to complete a sweeping restructuring focused on reducing its mounting debt through capacity and fleet reductions.

“Based on current planning assumptions, airBaltic estimates that the planned changes could affect approximately 500 to 700 positions across its bases in Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn,” the airline said in a statement.

It also added that this is a current estimate and that the number may change during the process. The range reflects ongoing consultations with trade unions on potential reduced-workload arrangements for pilots and cabin crew, as well as the development of new organisational structures for the rest of the company, which are expected to be defined by mid-October. The airline currently employs approximately 3,000 people across the Baltics.

These changes are part of a broader set of measures under the new business plan, which prioritises financial stability, a more focused network and greater operational efficiency. As previously announced, the plan also includes a smaller Airbus A220-300 fleet and stronger year-round ACMI partnerships, while maintaining connectivity for Latvia and the wider Baltic region.

The airline gained approval last month to access €140 million ($157 million) from a wider €350 million financing package.

“We recognise that this is an important and sensitive process for our people. Our priority is to handle it with transparency, respect, and care, while keeping our employees informed as the process progresses. No final decisions have been made regarding individual employees, and we will engage directly with our colleagues as the next steps are determined. We remain committed to carrying out the process in full compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements, as well as the relevant consultation procedures,” said Erno Hildén, President and CEO of airBaltic.

The airline said more detailed information will be provided to employees during October. As individual decisions have not yet been made, the airline said it would be premature to provide estimates for individual bases, functions or employee groups.

airBaltic has already notified the State Employment Agency of the planned collective redundancy process. The company will continue to follow the applicable requirements and procedures as the process moves forward. The planned changes will not affect airBaltic’s current flight schedule. The airline continues to operate as normal, with all scheduled flights operating according to plan.