airBaltic extends Lufthansa wet-lease deal

airBaltic has announced a new long-term wet-lease agreement with Lufthansa Group, extending their ongoing partnership and confirming the continuation of the existing ACMI relationship between the two groups. The coverage from AviTrader Aviation News states that the arrangement is a continuation of their current cooperation under a wet-lease framework, but it does not disclose specific aircraft types, routes, or terms in the material provided.

AeroTime adds detail to the arrangement, noting that the wet-lease agreement is part of airBaltic’s plan to reduce its Airbus A220-300 fleet to 36 aircraft in 2027. The article specifies that, under the agreement, airBaltic will operate up to six A220-300s with Lufthansa crews for the summer season and four for the winter season, beginning with the 2026 season. This outlet also references a prior extension of the wet-lease with Lufthansa that was announced in 2024 for three more years starting in summer 2025, and describes the current deal as continuing and expanding that cooperation.

Aviation Week corroborates the core point of the arrangement: airBaltic and Lufthansa Group have signed a wet-lease agreement covering up to six Airbus A220-300 aircraft operated with Lufthansa’s crew for airBaltic. The publication notes a summer-season commitment of up to six aircraft and a winter-season commitment of four aircraft, aligning with AeroTime’s details. It also explains that Lufthansa provides the aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance for these operations under airBaltic’s network, but it does not specify routes, start dates, or detailed launch information.

Aviation Week highlights that this wet-lease deal is part of a broader strategy to maintain Lufthansa Group capacity within airBaltic’s network, while airBaltic manages its own network alongside the leased operations. The reporting emphasizes that the core concept is Lufthansa supplying aircraft and crew under airBaltic’s umbrella, rather than airBaltic owning or operating the aircraft independently for these flights. The article does not include route-level or schedule specifics beyond the seasonal allocation.

According to AeroTime’s coverage, airBaltic will also continue its existing wet-lease arrangement with Air Serbia as part of the same strategic framework, with four aircraft planned for the summer season and two for the winter season. This detail is presented to illustrate airBaltic’s broader ACMI strategy and how capacity is distributed among partner airlines to support network operations.

In commentary accompanying AeroTime’s report, Mantas Vrubliauskas, airBaltic’s VP of Network Management, is quoted as praising the partnership with Lufthansa Group, describing airBaltic as a reliable ACMI provider with consistent operational performance and positive feedback from both partner airlines and their passengers. The article also reiterates airBaltic’s focus on offering a modern, fuel-efficient A220-300 product that fits into partner networks, underscoring the carrier’s intent to sustain collaboration with Lufthansa in the years ahead. The material does not provide new operational details beyond what is stated in the seasonal-capacity and fleet-reduction context.