airBaltic Cancels 4,700 Summer Flights Over Engine Delays

Latvian-based airline airBaltic has announced that it will cancel 4,670 flights across its network for the upcoming summer 2025 season. This measure comes as a direct response to continued engine maintenance delays and shortages from its supplier, Pratt & Whitney. Below is an overview of what led to this situation and how it will affect the carrier’s operations and passengers.

Reasons Behind the Cancellations
airBaltic cites “unexpected delays and prolonged engine maintenance” as the chief cause for the flight cancellations. The airline relies on Pratt & Whitney engines to power its all-Airbus A220-300 fleet. Unfortunately, the inability of the engine manufacturer to meet its maintenance obligations in a timely manner has forced airBaltic to ground several aircraft. According to the airline, Pratt & Whitney informed them that these engine supply issues would extend into 2025, making it impossible to maintain the originally planned summer schedule.

Impact on Routes and Passengers
The engine maintenance setbacks have prompted airBaltic to:

Cancel 19 routes: Entire routes are being removed from the airline’s summer 2025 schedule.
Reduce frequencies on 21 routes: Some destinations will see fewer flights than originally planned.
Affect 4,670 flights in total: The high number of cancellations is expected to impact around 67,160 passengers.
Despite the significant cuts, airBaltic remains committed to operating more than 70 routes throughout Europe and beyond. Travelers can still look forward to flights from the airline’s primary bases in Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere, and its seasonal hub in Gran Canaria, connecting to destinations across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus region.

Ongoing Operational Challenges
The problems faced by airBaltic mirror those encountered by other airlines worldwide. Many carriers have struggled with global supply chain disruptions and intensified maintenance demands, particularly in the wake of the pandemic’s travel resurgence. While airBaltic has taken the brunt of these challenges over its A220-300 fleet, the airline continues to seek alternative solutions to minimize disruption and maintain a reliable service for its customers.

Support for Affected Passengers
airBaltic has acknowledged the inconveniences caused by these forced cancellations and has pledged to support all affected travelers. Options available to passengers include:

Rebooking: Passengers can choose alternative flight dates or routes at no extra charge.
Refunds: Those who prefer not to travel may opt for a full refund of their tickets.
The airline stresses that it intends to keep passenger inconvenience to a minimum. Individuals with existing bookings should proactively check their flight status online to confirm any changes or cancellations, then decide whether to rebook or request a refund.

Though forced to make these schedule reductions, airBaltic underscores that it is diligently working with Pratt & Whitney to resolve the ongoing engine maintenance delays. By seeking long-term solutions and remaining transparent with customers, the airline hopes to restore full operational capacity as soon as possible. For now, airBaltic continues to serve numerous destinations across its network, focusing on providing safe and timely flights wherever possible.

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