airBaltic says no impact to Air Serbia amid bankruptcy restructuring
airBaltic has said its ongoing bankruptcy restructuring will have no impact on its cooperation with Air Serbia, including the wet-lease arrangement under which the Latvian carrier operates up to four Airbus A220-300 aircraft on behalf of its Serbian counterpart. Air Serbia has similarly confirmed that all planned operations under the agreement are continuing without changes. “The proceedings will have no impact on airBaltic’s partnership with Air Serbia. As planned, airBaltic will continue to provide Air Serbia with up to four Airbus A220-300 aircraft, together with crew, maintenance and insurance, under a wet-lease arrangement”, airBaltic said. Under a wet-lease, also known as ACMI, the operating airline provides the aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance, while the contracting carrier retains commercial control of the flights, which operate under its own flight numbers. Air Serbia also confirmed that the developments at airBaltic have not affected the arrangement. “The proceedings in question have no impact on the operational cooperation between Air Serbia and airBaltic, including flights operated by the Latvian carrier under the existing agreement. All planned operations are being carried out in accordance with the schedule and without any changes for Air Serbia passengers”, the Serbian flag carrier said. Air Serbia and airBaltic signed a two-year wet-lease agreement in October 2025, which came into effect on November 1 of that year. The arrangement initially envisaged two A220-300s operating on behalf of Air Serbia during the 2025/26 winter season and up to four during the 2026 summer season. Based on its two-year duration, the current agreement is set to run until the end of October 2027, unless amended by the two airlines. During September alone, the Latvian carrier’s aircraft are deployed on 516 Air Serbia flights, including both outbound and return services. The A220-300s are most frequently being used this month on services to Zurich, Amsterdam and Paris. airBaltic has also begun hiring locally based crew in Belgrade in recent months, who are assigned to flights operated on behalf of Air Serbia. Earlier this year, the carrier advertised thirty fixed-term cabin crew positions at its Belgrade base. The assurances come after airBaltic voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States on September 14 as it seeks to restructure its finances. Chapter 11 enables a company to continue operating while reorganising its debt and other obligations and does not amount to a liquidation. airBaltic has said its flight operations will continue during the process. The Latvian flag carrier has been facing mounting financial pressure, including a sizeable debt burden. The restructuring will involve changes to airBaltic’s fleet and cost base. The airline plans to reduce the size of its Airbus A220-300 fleet from 55 to 36 aircraft by the end of 2026, while discussions have also been launched with unions over potential workforce reductions. airBaltic CEO Erno Hilden has stressed that operations will not be disrupted during the restructuring and has indicated that the carrier’s wet-lease business will form an important part of the process. Air Serbia has previously described the aircraft as an important reference point for future decisions concerning the composition of its own fleet. EX-YU Aviation News
EAEX-YU Aviation News•EX-YU Aviation (noreply@blogger.com)21 Sept
- neutral toward Air Serbia · 98%
