Latvia-based airBaltic, one of the world’s largest operators of the Airbus A220-300, has lost one of its aircraft following an incident that occurred after heavy maintenance.
After heavy maintenance was completed in June 2025, a mandatory auxiliary power unit (APU) ground run test was conducted on the YL-AAO registered A220-300. During the test, a fire broke out, causing severe heat damage to the fuselage and wing root. The source of the fire was identified as the ozone filter.
Following a technical investigation completed in December 2025, a report prepared by Airbus Engineering concluded that repairing the aircraft was not economically viable, leading to the aircraft being permanently withdrawn from service.
The aircraft was covered under an operational lease and insured, and the incident resulted in an insurance payout of approximately $33.4 million. However, airBaltic reported that due to the aircraft’s remaining value and additional operational costs, the airline incurred a loss of around €6.2 million.
