airBaltic is preparing workforce reductions that could affect about 500 to 700 positions across its bases in Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn as it pushes ahead with a wider restructuring plan. The Latvian carrier said the current estimate is not final and that no individual redundancy decisions have been taken, while normal flying, ticket sales, reservations and customer service will continue throughout the process.
The airline is consulting with trade unions on possible reduced-workload arrangements for pilots and cabin crew, while new organisational structures for other parts of the business are expected by mid-October. It has also notified the relevant employment authorities about the planned collective redundancy process.
airBaltic employs about 3,000 people across the Baltics, meaning the proposed cuts would amount to roughly one-fifth of its workforce. The move forms part of a new business plan and a broader restructuring drive linked to efforts to reduce debt and strengthen financial stability. The carrier entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US last month as part of that process.