AirBaltic put out a press release yesterday that they are canceling 4,670 flights for the summer season, affecting 67,160 passengers.
However, the airline tries to misinform the public about its responsibilities regarding rebookings per EC 261/2004.
You can access AirBaltic here.
AirBaltic’s Press Release:
airBaltic Forced to Cancel Flights Due to Engine Maintenance Delays
Riga, Latvia. The Latvian airline airBaltic announces that it is forced to cancel 4 670 flights from all its bases for the summer season 2025. The cancellations are a result of unexpected delays and prolonged engine maintenance by its supplier, Pratt & Whitney. The engine manufacturer’s inability to meet its timely maintenance obligations has impacted the operational capabilities of airBaltic’s Airbus A220-300 fleet, forcing the airline to adjust its summer schedule.
airBaltic has been informed by Pratt & Whitney that several of its A220-300 aircraft will remain grounded into 2025 due to an engine shortage. As a result, the airline will cancel 19 routes and reduce frequencies on 21 others across its bases. In total, 4 670 flights will be cancelled, affecting an estimated 67 160 passengers. Despite these challenges, airBaltic will continue operating most of its flights – over 70 destinations across Europe and beyond – ensuring the Baltic States remain connected to the rest of the world.
Like many other airlines worldwide, airBaltic has been facing external factors beyond its control, including global supply chain issues and maintenance constraints. The airline deeply regrets the disruption caused by these forced cancellations and remains fully committed to supporting affected customers through rebooking options or full refunds as needed. Minimizing disruption and maintaining reliable service remain top priorities for the airline. airBaltic continues to work closely with Pratt & Whitney to resolve the maintenance delays and find a sustainable solution.
Customers whose bookings are affected are advised to check their reservations via the Manage My Booking section on airBaltic.com. From there, they can select alternative airBaltic flights or request a full refund.
The cancelled routes are as follows:
From Riga:
- Aberdeen
- Belgrade
- Cluj-Napoca
- Yerevan
- Gothenburg
- Mykonos
- Pristina
- Rzeszow
- Skopje
- Stavanger
From Vilnius:
- Dubrovnik
- Ibiza
- Rhodes
- Chisinau
- Tel Aviv
- Valencia
From Tallinn:
- Dubrovnik
- Hamburg
From Tampere:
- Rhodes
The incorrect part that doesn’t comply with the EC 261/2005 is:
Customers whose bookings are affected are advised to check their reservations via the Manage My Booking section on airBaltic.com. From there, they can select alternative airBaltic flights or request a full refund.
AirBaltic is required, by law, to rebook affected passengers to their final destination at the earliest opportunity, and this also includes rebooking them on other airlines and not just on AirBaltic. Rebooking on AirBaltic flights may not even be possible in the case of a canceled destination.
The delay compensation doesn’t apply here, as affected passengers are informed 14 days before their intended flight, but all other EC 261/2004 passenger rights do apply.
If AirBaltic refuses to rebook you to your final destinations, and the alternate flights on other airlines are more expensive, DO NOT REQUEST REFUND from AirBaltic, but rather send them the receipt for the alternate flights and request reimbursement per EC 261/2004.
Also, if rebookings require you to spend an extra night, you can request compensation for this per Duty to Care.
Conclusion
I wish that these European airlines would be more forthcoming about their responsibilities under EC 261/2004 because AirBaltic’s intentions are clear.
They basically want you to refund or choose very inconvenient routing on their own flights when they are legally required to rebook you on other airlines.
Remember that this is YOUR RIGHT and not something the airline can deny.
