🇱🇹 Lithuania| 🇱🇻 airBaltic Adjusts Vilnius Flight Schedule Amid Belarus Balloon Disruptions

Latvian carrier airBaltic is revising its Vilnius flight schedule to avoid repeated disruptions caused by the temporary closure of Lithuania’s main airport due to meteorological balloons drifting from Belarus.

According to LRT.lt, starting November 20, the Kraków–Vilnius flight will now arrive at 17:40 (previously after midnight), and the Munich–Vilnius flight at 18:55 (previously 22:15).

The adjustment follows a series of airport shutdowns triggered by unidentified balloon incursions that led to multiple flight delays and diversions. On October 28, airBaltic confirmed that 18 of its flights had been affected by temporary airspace closures, impacting both direct and connecting routes.

The airline stated it is “working closely with Lithuanian authorities and other agencies to mitigate disruptions and ensure clear, timely communication with passengers.”

Context:

Lithuania’s Civil Aviation Administration has repeatedly closed Vilnius airspace over the past months after Belarus-launched meteorological balloons — some allegedly carrying contraband — entered Lithuanian territory. The issue has become a new flashpoint in regional hybrid tensions. airBaltic, with over 20 daily operations via Vilnius, is the main foreign carrier affected. The airline’s proactive rescheduling highlights ongoing cross-border security frictions in Baltic airspace management.

Source: LRT.lt / airBaltic