Ryanair has unveiled a five-year Baltic expansion proposal worth about $1.6 billion, tying the plan to airBaltic’s creditor-protection filing. The programme covers Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania and targets up to 11 million annual seats, 16 based aircraft and thousands of jobs, with Riga set for winter 2026 growth of 6% to two based aircraft, 16 routes and about 40,000 extra seats.
The Irish carrier also plans to trim winter capacity in Lithuania and Estonia by 25%, citing higher airport charges in those markets. airBaltic entered creditor-protection proceedings this week and is preparing to reduce its fleet from 54 aircraft to 36 by the end of 2026. Ryanair framed its proposal as a response to the carrier’s restructuring and to wider conditions in the Baltic market, where airport demand, government policy and fare competition are now under pressure.