Riga, Latvia: Latvian national airline airBaltic plans to cut approximately 300 jobs, including 100 pilots and 200 cabin crew members, as part of a wider workforce restructuring linked to its planned flight operations and route network for 2027. The airline confirmed the proposed reductions on October 28, 2026, following its earlier announcement that between 500 and 700 positions could be affected across its bases in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
The planned reductions are part of airBaltic’s efforts to align its workforce and operating costs with a smaller fleet and revised business plan. The airline is reducing its all-Airbus A220-300 fleet from 54 aircraft to 36 by the end of 2026, before gradually increasing it to approximately 40 by 2031. The company said the latest job cuts are “linked to the flight volume and route network planned for next year”, with pilot reductions affecting all three operating bases in Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn.
According to the Latvian Aviation Trade Union (LAA), employees will begin receiving individual notifications about whether they will retain their positions from October 31. The union said the approximately 300 planned reductions comprise 100 pilots and 200 cabin crew members, excluding employees who have already voluntarily left the airline since the collective redundancy process began.
The impact on cabin crew will be concentrated at the Riga base in Latvia, while the airline expects additional staffing requirements in Vilnius and Tallinn. airBaltic said Riga-based cabin crew members would be offered opportunities to continue working at its other bases wherever vacancies are available. Pilot reductions, meanwhile, will affect all three locations.
The latest workforce reduction follows airBaltic’s October 5 announcement that between 500 and 700 positions could be affected as part of its new business plan. At the time, the airline said the estimate covered its approximately 3,000 employees across the Baltic region and reflected consultations on reduced workload arrangements for pilots and cabin crew, alongside the development of new organisational structures for other departments.
airBaltic President and CEO Erno Hildén said in the October 5 announcement: “We recognize 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.” He added that no final decisions had been made regarding individual employees and that the company would follow applicable legal requirements and consultation procedures.
The proposed reductions have prompted objections from the Latvian Aviation Union, which has questioned the transparency and fairness of the employee assessment process. The union claims that the airline is using internal pilot and cabin crew evaluation and promotion lists without providing the complete selection criteria and methodology in writing.
In its October 29 statement, the union said employees were being ranked using “criteria the unions have not received in writing” and called on management to “pause the crew assessment and meet us at the table”. It also requested that individual redundancy notifications be withheld until the criteria and assessment methodology had been reviewed jointly.
The union further alleged that airBaltic’s human resources management had not adequately addressed its requests for written clarification. It questioned how the company could claim that the selection criteria had been agreed with the unions when the complete methodology had not been provided to them.
Another concern raised by the union involves the distribution of cabin crew reductions. It said all planned cabin crew cuts would fall on the Riga base, leaving the Vilnius and Tallinn bases unaffected. The union also claimed that up to 30 cabin crew positions supporting the airline’s Belgrade operation had been filled through a Serbian temporary employment agency while permanent airBaltic employees faced redundancy.
The union has additionally questioned the terms offered to employees considering voluntary departures. According to Latvian Public Media, employees accepting mutual termination agreements could receive preference during future recruitment interviews if airBaltic resumes hiring. The union considers this arrangement unfair and has called for alternatives, including part-time employment and unpaid leave, to be considered before redundancies are finalised.
Responding to the union’s allegations, airBaltic said the selection criteria were established following several rounds of consultations during which the participating unions submitted their proposals.
The airline’s International Communication Representative Edvards Dālderis said airBaltic initially proposed different criteria but subsequently agreed to use its existing pilot and cabin crew assessment systems following discussions with employee representatives. He said the selected criteria consider employees’ length of service, professional qualifications and other factors related to their job performance.
Dālderis also said the concerns raised by the Latvian Aviation Union had been considered and that the final approach represented a compromise between different union proposals and the airline’s operational requirements.
The airline acknowledged the impact of the reductions on employees and said it was committed to conducting the process as transparently and consistently as possible while treating affected staff with respect.
The workforce adjustments come as airBaltic continues a broader financial and operational restructuring under Chapter 11 proceedings in the United States. The airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2026, seeking to restructure its financial obligations and reduce costs through capacity and fleet adjustments.
The airline’s October 5 workforce announcement also highlighted its plans for a smaller Airbus A220-300 fleet, stronger year-round aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) partnerships, and a more focused network aimed at improving operational efficiency and financial stability.
In its October 5 announcement, airBaltic said the restructuring would prioritise “financial stability, a more focused network, and greater operational efficiency”. The company also notified employment authorities in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia about the planned collective redundancy process.
Despite the proposed reductions, airBaltic said its current flight schedule would remain unaffected and that scheduled operations would continue as planned.
The final number of employees affected by the latest pilot and cabin crew reductions remains subject to the completion of the assessment process.
