AirBaltic has faced difficulties from the Ukraine invasion and engine overhaul delays.

Ukraine Crisis and Engine Overhaul Delays Challenge AirBaltic

AirBaltic has shifted its business model in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while also dealing with delays in maintaining engines for its A220s.

Latvia's AirBaltic operates a fleet of Airbus A220 aircraft. — Latvia's AirBaltic continues to add Airbus A220 aircraft to its fleet despite delays in overhauling the twinjet's PW1500G engines. (Image: AirBaltic)

By Cathy Buyck • Contributor - Europe

December 22, 2022

While AirBaltic says it has successfully adapted its business to counter the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on its network and revenues, ongoing problems with the Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofan engines that power its Airbus A220 fleet remain a headache for the Latvian state-owned airline. Extended turnaround times for servicing the engines are continuing to cause operational disruption.

“To be clear, the PW1500G powerplants are very good. We have flown them for six years now. They are overperforming in terms of fuel and thus CO2 emission savings, AirBaltic CEO Martin Gauss told AIN. “The big issue for us is Pratt & Whitney not being able to overhaul the engines in the amount of time they promised us. We got told that supply chain issues are causing a shortage in parts and they do not have sufficient spare engines to give to customers.”

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