airBaltic is set to expand its Airbus A220 operations to more destinations next year. The Riga based airline will become an all-A220 carrier as it looks to retire its other aircraft types.

airBaltic is currently in the midst of a fleet transformation. While the carrier had been operating older Boeing 737 aircraft, this is set to change. In fact, the airline has a total of 50 Airbus A220 aircraft on order. The airline is currently due to receive its 20th Airbus A220 aircraft, an aircraft which the airline's CEO, Martin Gauss, calls "state of the art".

A single fleet type

In July, Simple Flying caught up with airBaltic's CEO, Martin Gauss. Of course, one of our big talking points was undoubtedly the Airbus A220-300. His airline has a total of 50 of these aircraft on order, which he visualizes with a display in his office.

For airBaltic the Airbus A220 is a game-changing aircraft. Gauss tells me how "I don't think that there is any competitive product to the A220-300 coming also not the next 10 years". He adds that, in his opinion, the biggest success story to date is Southwest. He notes that the airline's single aircraft model is successful, and something which he wants to replicate with the Airbus A220.

Airbus A220 airBaltic Riga
airBaltic is moving to operate a single aircraft type. Photo: Javier Rodríguez via Wikimedia

New Airbus A220 routes

airBaltic already operates the Airbus A220 to a range of destinations from hops to London, all the way to long Abu Dhabi flights. The airline is considering whether they would find the potential extended range of the Airbus A220 useful, which could potentially see the likes of Addis Ababa and Delhi within reach of Riga.

However, the airline has already confirmed a number of routes which will be operated by the Airbus A220-300. These latest routes announced by airBaltic are due to commence A220 services from 2020 according to Routes Online.

The new routes will add depart from Riga, the home of airBaltic, and are as follows:

  • airBaltic will commence Airbus A220 flights to Aberdeen as of March 31st, 2020, and will operate twice a week;
  • Flights to Kazan will follow twice weekly starting on 20th of April 2020;
  • Thirdly, Adler/Sochi flights will commence with the A220, again twice weekly, as of 11th of May 2020;
  • Following this, Dubrovnik will become an A220 route from 19th of May 2020 twice weekly;
  • The final route to commence Airbus A220 flights will be Rijeka on the 27th of May 2020, also twice weekly.
Riga airBaltic Airbus A220
The new routes that airBaltic will operate the Airbus A220 on. Photo: GCCmaps

Cutting CO2

airBaltic is particularly pleased with the Airbus A220 with Gauss telling me that the aircraft is "the greenest narrowbody available". He adds that with the Airbus A220, "We have a 20% reduction on co2".

Mr. Gauss goes on to tell me that investing in the Airbus A220 is the biggest single step that he can do to cut CO2 emissions, however, the airline is also taking other initiatives such as replacing plastic with glass in its office block.

Will you find the airline's new route network handy? Let us know in the comments!