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Martin Gauss has been removed as CEO of Latvian national airline airBaltic. The company confirmed Gauss’ departure in a statement Monday that said the decision was taken by the supervisory board following a regular shareholders meeting.
The company is majority-owned by the Latvian state, which until recently held a 97.97% stake. In January, Germany’s Lufthansa agreed to acquire a 10% stake, subject to final regulatory approvals.
Writing on X on Monday, Atis Švinka, the country’s transport minister said (in Latvian): “I inform you that Martin Gauss has been dismissed from his position. It is important for me to see the results. AirBaltic is a company of national importance, and it must be able to independently develop and adapt to external conditions.”
Gauss joined airBaltic in 2011, with his 14-year tenure making him one of Europe’s most established airline chief executives. During his time as CEO, he guided the carrier through a period of remarkable transformation, although not without controversy.
In February, the airline became the first in Europe to install Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starlink Wi-Fi. To mark the occasion, Gauss took to social media to share a video message from 35,000 feet.
My first video right from the skies using ultra-fast and free @Starlink internet onboard of our @airBaltic @Airbus A220-300. 🚀 All our passengers are going to love this. pic.twitter.com/agy1FAwmtr— Martin Gauss (@Gaussm) February 20, 2025
AirBaltic Interim CEO Appointed
Effective immediately, Pauls Cālītis will be interim CEO. He joined the company in 1995 as a pilot before moving into senior leadership roles. He was appointed chief operations officer in 2020.
Andrejs Martinovs, chairman of the airline’s supervisory board said: “We maintain full confidence in the management board and the professional team, which ensures the company’s day-to-day operations, passenger services, and overall management. Our core objectives remain unchanged, and airBaltic continues to implement its strategy and move forward toward a potential IPO.”
Interim CEO Pauls Cālītis added: “The company’s operational performance will remain unaffected. Our team is strong and motivated, and we are fully prepared to ensure stability, continuity, and further development.”
Based in Latvia, airBaltic operates more than 120 routes from hubs in Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, and Tampere. The carrier operates a single-type fleet, consisting of 49 Airbus A220-300 planes.
It has 24 codeshare agreements with carriers including Delta Air Lines, British Airways, and Lufthansa.
This is a breaking story that will be updated.
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