On April 10, 2024, four students graduated from the Latvian national airline’s airBaltic Pilot Academy, receiving a commercial pilot license upon completion of the full-time airline transport pilot program. Additionally, the 22nd group of 16 students has already begun their professional pilot studies. It should be emphasized that four of the new students are current cabin crew members.

Vilmantas Vaclovas Mažonas, SVP Flight Operations of airBaltic: “We are proud to see and congratulate the latest graduates of the Pilot Academy. A number of them will start additional training this month, preparing to join the airBaltic team soon. Skilled and well-trained professionals are key to the success of any airline.”

“Moreover, we extend our congratulations to the young and motivated students of the 22nd group, who embarked on their educational journey today. Four of them are already our employees, but have decided to embrace new professional challenges. Further education and career advancement are things that we, as a company, strongly support,” Mažonas added.

In total, during six years since the Pilot Academy’s foundation, 24 airBaltic employees have enrolled in the academy’s studies. So far overall 10 graduates have joined the academy’s team as theoretical and flight instructors, thereby significantly enhancing its educational personnel. This development means that 10% of the academy’s alumni, who joined the airline as First Officers, have also assumed roles within the academy, thus enriching the study program with their expertise.

There are 136 active students at the airBaltic Pilot Academy at the moment. Most of them are from the Baltic countries, however, there are students also from other EU countries such as Denmark, Germany, France, Finland, Spain and Italy among others. Overall, more than 10% of airBaltic Pilot Academy students are female. As for now, 99 students, after graduating, have joined airBaltic.

Students of the airBaltic Pilot Academy have to cover the costs of ATPL theory studies and 45 flight hours, costing EUR 15 000. After passing airBaltic pilot assessment and becoming an employee of the company, the airline will provide financing (loan) for the rest of the studies.

More information about the Pilot Academy: www.pilotacademy.com.

airBaltic in brief:
airBaltic (Air Baltic Corporation AS) is a joint stock company that was established in 1995. Its primary shareholder is the Latvian state, which holds 97.97% of the stock, while the rest of the shareholders hold 2.03%. airBaltic offers connections to more than 70 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Caucasus region. Over the last 28 years airBaltic has developed as a strong and internationally respected airline, which employs more than 2 500 employees. The airBaltic fleet consists of 47 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, making it one of the youngest fleets in Europe. The airline has received several international awards for excellence, innovative services and significant achievements. Skytrax has awarded airBaltic two years in a row as the best airline in its region. Additionally, in 2022, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) awarded airBaltic the Diversity and Inclusion Team Award. In 2023 the airline received the APEX Passenger Choice Award of Best Cabin Service in Europe.

airBalticTraining, a subsidiary of airBaltic, is a training facility offering a wide range of aviation training services in its modern and purpose-built training centre in Riga, Latvia. It was established in 2010 and since then each year provides training to approximately 3 000 professionals from across the world – more than 1 500 pilots, almost 1 000 cabin crew members and several hundred of aircraft maintenance personell, ground handlers, cargo agents, security personnel and others.