airBaltic - Reviews and experiences

I wouldn’t trust their baggage policy. I needed this airline for a short work trip — laptop, two pairs of pants, basics — and it felt like a trap. I flew two round trips (four flights) and only at the very last leg they started weighing carry stuff and charging €30 for "extra". Flights were mostly on time and staff were polite, but the surprise fees left a bad taste.

double-check baggage rules before you book.

straightforward boarding, staff were friendly, luggage handled without drama. Still annoying that you can't pick seats without paying and the fees felt sneaky, I won't pretend it's perfect. Compared to another carrier I've used, the whole checkout felt clunkier. So, mixed feelings — it did the job, and I’d fly again if the price policy wasn't so cramped, honestly overall.

don't expect a refund for paid add-ons if your airBaltic flight gets cancelled. I found the fare because a buddy tipped me — cheap seat, seemed fine — so I paid extra to pick seats together. Mid-trip the flight got cancelled and they rebooked us, but the paid seat selections vanished — probably eaten by a software gremlin. The airline's answer was technobabble about reservations and 'system rules', not care that we never used the seats. We did get rebooked, and honestly I’m kind of relieved we made it home, but paying for services we never received and getting zero back was frustrating and, well, unfair.

I booked the wrong date (classic brain fart) and spotted it within minutes, so I tried to fix it right away. The website itself was easy enough to use and the fare looked reasonable, so I was actually pretty happy with that part. Phone numbers on the site though? Didn’t work — kept ringing out, which was frustrating because I was trying to sort it while doing a dozen other things. I reached the Amsterdam office eventually and someone there actually tried to help and asked me to send an email so they could pass it on, which felt promising. A few days later the main team offered a reduced “goodwill” fee (that was the bright spot — someone did try to be helpful), but it came with a rigid, short deadline. I happened to be sick over that weekend and missed the cutoff; I replied the moment I could, but the offer was then withdrawn and I was told to pay almost the full price to change the ticket. That felt harsh given I reported the mistake immediately and there was no fare difference. Emotionally I was annoyed — but also grateful the flight itself was smooth and on time. So yeah, customer access needs improvement and a little human judgement would go a long way, but the core product was solid. I’ll book again, just triple-check the dates and avoid relying on their phone lines.

9.9 kg vs the allowed 8 kg and I was charged €30. Less than two kilos over and there was zero flexibility. Staff weren’t rude exactly, but they showed no common sense or empathy. Both flights left me feeling like the system was set up to squeeze money out of people rather than help them. I wanted to like this airline, honestly. But after these two experiences I’ll pick someone else next time. Small things add up and it made travel more stressful than it needed to be.