Simonas Bartkus

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

Currently in Lithuanian. If you read it, maybe you'll motivate me to write an English version too. ;)

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

I wrote a book!
“Aviacinis Rokenrolas” (Aviation Rock'n'Roll) – 300 pages of aviation stories, airport drama, crashes, airline politics and behind-the-scenes action. Based on my experience and a much longer journey through Lithuanian aviation history.

Pre-orders open November 30

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

flydubai confirmed with a separate press release, that they will resume flights from Dubai to Vilnius & @riga_airport on 12th of December, both 3x weekly.

No word about @TLLairport flights.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

.@airBaltic announced the ACMI agreement with Lufthansa Group will be reduced from 21 aircraft this summer to 6 next summer (4 aircraft flying in winter).

airBaltic plans to continue the ACMI agreement with Air Serbia (4 aircraft in summer; 2 in winter).

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

.@eurowings will not return with seasonal route from Prague to @TLLairport next summer, meaning the Estonia will lose connection with Czech Republic.

Eurowings continues to serve Tallinn from Düsseldorf.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

“Summer only ends for those who can't afford it.” — Brazauskienė

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

Apie skrydžius į Vokietiją rašau substacke.

https://t.co/C5uHz6aRLn

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

.@TLLairport will get a new airline in 2027: Arkia has scheduled a new seasonal route from Tel Aviv to Tallinn, starting on April 1st 2027, 2x weekly.

Arkia started flights to Lithuania in Spring 2026 and flies 3x weekly between Tel Aviv and Vilnius.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

And there is a more interesting story.

@LTairports said they plan to court this decision.

airBaltic cancelled the partnership agreement for this route in a scope of Chapter 11 restructuring. The process in NY court allows the airline to exit loss-making agreements.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

.@airBaltic will cancel flights from Vilnius to Düsseldorf on 23rd of November.

The airline opened the route in October 2024 as part of a risk-sharing partnership with LT Airports.

This winter Vilnius lost connections to Nuremberg, Frankfurt-Hahn, and now Düsseldorf.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

.@airBaltic will cancel flights from Vilnius to Düsseldorf on 23rd of November.

The airline opened the route in October 2024 as part of a risk-sharing partnership with LT Airports.

This winter Vilnius lost connections to Nuremberg, Frankfurt-Hahn, and now Düsseldorf.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

It is now confirmed: @FlySWISS will not use @airBaltic services for their flights after March 2027.

SWISS will reduce frequency on routes from Zurich to Vilnius and @TLLairport from daily to 5x weekly.

Silver lining: no more late arrivals and early departures.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

.@FlySWISS revised the Summer 2027 schedule for the flights from @zrh_airport to Vilnius and @TLLairport.

Both routes decreased in frequency from 7x weekly to 5x weekly. Instead of operating overnight flights, SWISS scheduled midday rotations for VNO and TLL.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

You should read all information you see with the grain of salt.

Even in @Ryanair public financial presentation, you can find big mistakes like this: the company celebrates a Norwegian cut to the fleet, which is completely untrue. The numbers reflect @airbaltic's downsizing.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

.@Ryanair announced their April to September financials: the profit dropped even they had fuel hedged. Why? Because the fares in the market went down this summer.

I was observing this all summer: customers had very cheap flights this summer.

2027 may be very different.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

October 2026 in Baltic airports:

- Vilnius Airport: 554K pax, +9% y-o-y;
- Kaunas Airport: 145K pax, -5%;
- Palanga Airport: 39K pax, -16%;

@LTairports total: 739K pax, +5%.

@TLLairport: 375K pax, +8%.

@riga_airport announces statistics very late so I don't have it.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

I tried the brand new LTG Link Stadler train today.

So nice and so boring as Sweden.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

.@Ryanair cancels route from Kaunas to Gothenburg.

Seasonal route operated since 2010.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

For my Lithuanian followers I'd like to remind I'm now really active on my Substack which is completely free:

https://t.co/iECFFZ9o0x

Well, in a day of AI and auto-translate tools, this is probably not only for Lithuanians.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

@FlySWISS @zrh_airport @TLLairport Now flights are shown operated by SWISS not by airBaltic as it was last few seasons. airBaltic operation made sense for overnight flights as the wet-lease partner was able to change aircraft and crews in VNO&TLL.

Now flights are scheduled on SWISS A220-300.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

.@FlySWISS revised the Summer 2027 schedule for the flights from @zrh_airport to Vilnius and @TLLairport.

Both routes decreased in frequency from 7x weekly to 5x weekly. Instead of operating overnight flights, SWISS scheduled midday rotations for VNO and TLL.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

Preliminary number for @riga_airport: ±630.000 passengers, no change; same as last year.

[Simonas Bartkus @simonasbartkus]

September 2026 in Baltic airports:
- Vilnius Airport: 530K pax, +8% y-o-y;
- Kaunas Airport: 145K pax, +3%;
- Palanga Airport: 37K pax, -8%;

@LTairports total: 711K pax, +6%.

@TLLairport: 356K pax, +13%.

@riga_airport announces statistics after 2 weeks or so.