Latvia's flag carrier airBaltic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on 14 September, prompting the obvious question from anyone with a Baltic trip booked: is my flight still happening? The short answer, according to the airline, is yes.

The Chapter 11 process — filed voluntarily in the US — lets airBaltic restructure its finances while trading as usual. The airline has lined up €350 million (about £299 million) in new financing to keep cash flowing through the reorganisation, and insists that aircraft, crews, timetables and services all continue "exactly as before". Tickets remain valid and passengers don't need to do anything.

CEO Erno Hildén framed the filing as a financial reset rather than a collapse, saying the goal is to make the airline more sustainable while operations stay, in his words, unnoticeable to passengers. The company is still selling tickets and building future schedules.

The numbers back up the idea that demand isn't the problem. In August alone, airBaltic carried 554,700 passengers — up five per cent year on year. And it's planning ambitiously for summer 2027: 57 direct routes from Riga, 13 from Tallinn and eight from Vilnius.

For UK travellers, this matters more than for most Europeans. airBaltic is the main direct link between Britain and all three Baltic capitals, flying from London Gatwick, London Heathrow and Manchester to Riga in Latvia, Tallinn in Estonia and Vilnius in Lithuania. If the airline were to cease flying, those routes would lose their only nonstop operator — so the Chapter 11 process is, paradoxically, good news for anyone hoping to visit the region next year. A controlled restructuring with fresh funding is far better than the alternative.

The usual caveats apply, though. Airlines in restructuring sometimes scale back routes at short notice, so it's worth keeping an eye on your booking and considering travel insurance that covers scheduled airline failure. Booking flexibility — refundable fares or flights closer to departure — is a reasonable move until the process concludes.

If you've been putting off a Baltic trip, this is still a good moment to plan one. Riga's art nouveau old town, Tallinn's medieval walls and Vilnius's baroque centre are all compact, walkable and far cheaper than Western Europe, and the three capitals pair nicely on a single overland route by bus or train. Just keep a weather eye on airBaltic's announcements as the reorganisation plays out.

Via The Independent Travel