AirBaltic is, with over 40 airframes in service (and another 30 on order including some ordered at the recent Dubai Airshow 2023), the world’s largest operator of the Airbus A220-300. In fact, in May 2020, it retired its other aircraft types, switching to an all-A220 fleet.
While most of the aircraft are in the airline’s standard livery, there are also some in special liveries. AirBaltic is also looking to put a special livery on its 50th A220. Rather than just designing the livery, the airline decided to celebrate the milestone by launching a design competition.
AirBaltic 50th Airbus A220 Livery Design Competition
Currently, airBaltic has 44 A220s in its fleet and the 50th one is only due for delivery in November 2024. That said, the December 12, 2023, design submission deadline is just a couple of weeks away.
Those above the age of 18 are invited to submit their designs via email using a template provided by airBaltic. In addition to the design itself, airBaltic is also asking for a brief description of the design. The designer of the winning design must “transfer full ownership of any intellectual property rights, including but not limited to copyrights, associated with the submitted design to airBaltic.”
Once all of the designs are submitted, the selection process will happen in two phases (similar to how ANA chose some of its Pokemon designs):
- The airline will filter out submissions that do not comply with the guidelines and then select up to 20 designs it considers the best fit from the valid submissions
- AirBaltic Club members will vote to choose their favorite from the up to 20 designs selected by the airline; each member will have one vote
The voting will take place between December 19, 2023, and January 4, 2024, after which the winner will be contacted by January 8, 2024. The winner will, in addition to having the livery featured on an actual aircraft (how cool is that?!) also receive a 3,000 EUR airBaltic gift certificate.
It Won’t Be airBaltic’s First Special Livery
AirBaltic’s 50th A220 will actually be the airline’s fourth aircraft wearing a special livery. Currently, there are three, each themed after one of the three countries that airBaltic operates out of.
The first airBaltic A220, and airBaltic aircraft in general, to receive a special livery was YL-CSAL. The aircraft wears a Latvia-themed livery unveiled to celebrate the country’s 100th anniversary. Its first revenue flight took the aircraft, which took place on November 10, 2018, took the aircraft to Munich
The two additional A220s in special liveries made their debut in 2019. First, YL-CSJ flew to London on June 29, 2019, wearing a livery promoting Estonia. Then, YL-CSK, took off bound for Moscow on August 8, 2019, wearing a livery promoting Lithuania.
Both of these liveries were presented as a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Baltic Way – a record-breaking human chain made through all three Baltic countries in August 1989 as a demonstration for independence.
Summary
AirBaltic is the world’s largest operator of the A220-300 and one of the world’s largest operators of the A220 in general. As such, it is one of the few airlines that will reach 50 airframes of the type in its fleet. To celebrate that – and the 50th aircraft in its fleet in general given that airBaltic has an all-A220 fleet – the airline announced a contest for the design of a special livery.
The winning design will be featured on airBaltic’s 50th A220 which is due to enter its fleet about a year from now, in November 2024. It will be the fourth special livery in the airline’s fleet, joining the three flag liveries that can currently be seen at airports around Europe.
