airBaltic Unveils its 50th Airbus A220-300 with a Special Livery

In late 2023, airBaltic launched an exciting design contest, inviting global participation in creating the livery for its milestone 50th Airbus A220-300. A total of 840 entries were submitted, and following voting by over 28 000 airBaltic Club loyalty program members, 21 designs were shortlisted. The top three designs all were acquired by airBaltic and represented national or Baltic region heritage, with the winning design receiving over 30% of the total shortlisted design votes.

This striking livery portrays an artistic depiction of a girl soaring through the clouds with long, flowing hair crowned by a traditional wreath and proudly featuring the Latvian flag. The design also incorporates several other elements that are inspired by the rich heritage and nature of the Baltic region - a ladybug, a swallow, and a stork. The final sketch of the design was modified and redesigned by airBaltic to meet the technical requirements of the aircraft.

Martin Gauss, President and CEO of airBaltic: "More than eight years ago, we became the global launch operator of the Airbus A220-300, and over the years, this aircraft type has become the backbone of our operations. This milestone aircraft marks the completion of our initial aircraft order and brings us halfway to our goal of operating a single-type fleet of 100 A220-300s and doubling in size by 2030."

"airBaltic continues to lead the aviation industry in the Baltics, and with this rich culture in mind, we wanted the livery to reflect a glimpse of all the beauty the three Baltic nations have to offer. Every time this aircraft will take to the skies, it will proudly carry a small part of the Baltic spirit with it," Gauss added.

Benoît Schultz, CEO of Airbus Canada: "airBaltic is currently the largest A220 customer in Europe and the largest A220-300 operator in the world. The airline put its trust in the A220, the most efficient aircraft in its size category, with a spacious cabin driving the best 'Net Promoter Scores' with passengers. Airbus products are defined by innovation so they can connect the world in the most efficient way. Thanks to our A220s around the world, more than 160 million passengers have been connected thus far."

The painting of this A220-300 livery was completed over an 18-day period. A total of 21 colours were used to bring this design to life, and for the first time ever, a stencil overlay technique was used to layer colours by the Airbus A220 paintshop teams in Mirabel, Canada.

airBaltic in brief:
airBaltic (Air Baltic Corporation AS) is the leading airline in the Baltics and one of Europe's fastest-growing carriers. As a hybrid airline, it leverages the upsides of both traditional network and low-cost carriers. Through a network of more than 130 routes from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere and, seasonally, Gran Canaria, airBaltic connects the Baltics with over 70 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus. Founded in 1995, today airBaltic operates one of Europe's youngest fleets, consisting of 49 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, and employs over 2 700 professionals. The company is majority-owned by the Latvian state, which holds a 97.97% stake, with the remaining 2.03% owned by private shareholders.

airBaltic's commitment to excellence is recognized by numerous prestigious awards including the Best Airline in its region by Skytrax for three consecutive years. In 2022, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recognized airBaltic with the Diversity and Inclusion Team Award. Furthermore, in 2023, APEX awarded the company the Passenger Choice Award for Best Cabin Service in Europe, and in 2024 airBaltic also received the APEX Four Star Major Airline Award, recognizing its commitment to providing a high-quality travel experience. In 2024, the airline was awarded the PROS AI Innovator Award for leveraging AI to drive transformative outcomes and optimize operations.