“The decision to part ways was not mine” - Martin Gauss ousted as CEO of airBaltic

Martin Gauss, CEO of airBaltic, was ousted from his role at the airline on April 7, 2025, leaving his position effective immediately. 

After a 14-year tenure as the airline's chief, airBaltic announced that Pauls Cālītis, the airline’s current management board member and chief operations officer, has assumed the duties of interim CEO.

Writing in a post on social media, Gauss said: “Leading this company has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. We navigated unprecedented challenges, introduced bold strategies, built a strong brand, and laid the foundation for a sustainable future - including a successful path toward an IPO. I hope that the team will deliver this soon."

The post included a photo of Gauss sitting in his office, with the caption: “This photo was taken while I was waiting for the written termination in my office, following a shareholders' meeting where they expressed a loss of confidence.”

“Change in leadership is part of any long journey, especially in a politically shaped environment,” he added. "While the decision to part ways was not mine, I respect it and look back with nothing but pride in what we accomplished.

The Latvian state, which is the majority shareholder of airBaltic, recently decreased its share in the airline from 97.97% after Germany’s Lufthansa agreed to acquire a 10% share in January, pending final regulatory approvals.

The news of Gauss’ departure follows a recent financial downturn in airBaltic’s results, after the airline reported a net loss of €118.2 million during 2024, marking a significant reversal from the €33.7 million profit posted in 2023.

The company said this was primarily due to accelerated depreciation on its Pratt & Whitney engines, which amount to €73 million, the euro depreciation against the US dollar in the year, as well as the servicing of the group's expanded bond programme from May 2024.

In response to the airline chief's departure, Latva’s transport minister Atis Švinka, said that Gauss was “dismissed” from his position, stating: “It is important for me to see the results. airBaltic is a company of national importance, and it must be able to independently develop and adapt to external conditions."

The chairman of the airline’s supervisory board, Andrejs Martinovs, said that moving forward airBaltic’s objectives remain “unchanged”, and that the airline will continue to implement its strategy, moving forward toward a potential IPO.