An airBaltic Airbus A220-300 has been written-off after a maintenance incident last year.
The aircraft, YL-AAO (c/n 55050), was the 15th to join the fleet when it was delivered in March 2019, a number that has since risen to 53 aircraft.
The airframe, which had been in storage since September 2024, underwent heavy maintenance in the middle of 2025. On June 14, shortly after the work was completed, the auxiliary power unit (APU) was run at Riga International, prior to the twinjet’s release.
In its full-year financial report, the airline stated: “During the ground run the aircraft sustained extreme heat damage in the fuselage and wing-root area from the ozone filter.” The circumstances surrounding the incident have not been made public.
Following a detailed assessment, Airbus Engineering concluded in December 2025 that the aircraft was beyond economic repair. The aircraft was subsequently written-off and the airline “submitted an insurance claim under an agreed value arrangement,” with settlement expected by June 2026, which according to planespotters.net is $33.4m. Until then “the lease remains in place until settlement.” It will be transferred to the insurer upon completion of the claims process, meanwhile the salvage value is being assessed.
This is thought to be the first hull loss for an Airbus A220. AirBaltic says the incident resulted in a negative net impact of €6.2m on the airline’s full-year performance, during which it made a net loss of €44.3m, an improvement on the €73.8m loss in 2024.
