Latvian carrier airBaltic has begun sending Airbus A220 pilots to Air Niugini under a 12-month agreement aimed at supporting the Papua New Guinea airline as it expands its fleet of the commercial jet.
The first two airBaltic captains have arrived in Port Moresby, with a total of 30 pilots expected to participate in the program, Air Niugini said. Around 15 will be in Papua New Guinea at any given time, working on 28-day rotations.
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Additional pilots are expected to arrive progressively over the next two months. The airBaltic crews will fly alongside Air Niugini pilots and support the development of local captains and first officers as the airline introduces more A220s.
The arrangement provides Air Niugini with pilots already experienced on the aircraft without involving the provision of airBaltic jets. The Latvian airline was the launch operator of the A220-300 in 2016 and has since built one of the world's largest fleets of the type.
Air Niugini expands A220 fleet
Air Niugini is introducing the A220 as a central element of its fleet renewal and expansion. The airline currently operates three A220-300s and has eight smaller A220-100s on order.
The carrier has acknowledged that its fleet growth is creating additional demand for trained crews. Chief Executive Officer Alan Milne said in September that Air Niugini could require around 100 additional pilots to support its expansion plans.
The agreement with airBaltic provides an interim source of experienced A220 crews as Air Niugini trains more of its own pilots.
Earlier discussions indicated that as many as 45 airBaltic pilots could become available for the program. Air Niugini's latest announcement confirms 30 pilots under the 12-month arrangement.
Agreement comes during airBaltic restructuring
The deployment comes as airBaltic undergoes a financial restructuring after seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States in September.
The Latvian airline continues to operate but is considering measures to reduce costs, with reports indicating that hundreds of jobs could be affected by its restructuring plans.
The pilot agreement gives airBaltic an opportunity to deploy experienced A220 crews with another operator during that process. Neither airline has said that the 30 pilots involved would otherwise face redundancy.
The Latvian Aviation Union has sought clarification over employment conditions for airBaltic pilots assigned to Papua New Guinea, including how their contracts and working arrangements will be handled during the deployment.
