The Latvian airline **airBaltic** is considering cutting between 500 and 700 jobs at its bases in Riga, Latvia; Vilnius, Lithuania; and Tallinn, Estonia. This potential reduction, which could affect up to 23% of its roughly 3,000 employees, is part of a broader financial and operational restructuring. At this stage, the airline has not announced any changes to its flight schedule. The proposed changes are not only financial but also have social implications, as they involve a significant portion of the workforce in the Baltic region. The airline announced on October 5 that it is preparing for a reduction in its workforce, with the number of affected employees ranging from 500 to 700. Discussions with unions are ongoing, and pilots and flight attendants are among the groups involved. While some staff may face reduced working hours instead of being laid off, the company is also exploring new organizational structures for other departments. A company spokesperson explained that the range of potential job reductions reflects ongoing consultations with unions about possible adjustments to working hours for pilots and cabin crews, as well as the development of new organizational structures for the rest of the company. The new organization of other functions is expected to be finalized by mid-October, but no individual arbitration has been made yet, and the airline has not detailed how the job cuts would be distributed across bases or professions. This restructuring comes from a new strategic plan unveiled in August, with the guiding principle being "financial stability first, growth afterwards." To achieve this, **airBaltic** plans to reduce its fleet size by focusing on its Riga hub, narrowing its network, and improving operational efficiency. The airline currently operates 54 Airbus A220-300 aircraft and plans to reduce this number to 36 by the end of 2026, with a gradual increase to around 40 planes by 2031. The strategy also includes developing ACMI contracts, which involve leasing aircraft along with crew, maintenance, and insurance, to secure more regular income outside of its own commercial operations. This restructuring comes less than a month after **airBaltic** voluntarily placed itself under the protection of the American Chapter 11 bankruptcy process on September 14. This legal procedure, initiated in the bankruptcy court of the southern district of New York, aims to restructure the airline's debt while continuing to operate its services, including ticket sales, reservations, and customer support.