Martin Gauss, born in Germany, was the CEO of AirBaltic, the most important airline in Latvia. He held the position for eleven years, and in April 2025 he admitted that he had been dismissed by the Latvian government and the majority shareholders. “The Latvian government, as the majority shareholder, has withdrawn its confidence, and the Supervisory Board has acted accordingly,” was one of the phrases Gauss used to describe his departure.
After serving as president and CEO, Gauss has more than 27 years in the airline industry. He received his initial training as a pilot and was managing director of Deutsche BA. After his exit, Gauss did not hide his discomfort with the “unpleasant” and “sudden” departure from AirBaltic, although he stated that “he gave everything and would do it again.”
Gauss’s farewell at AirBaltic
“I leave after 13 intense years, proud of what we built: a resilient airline, a loyal team, and a bold vision. I gave everything and would do it again. Thanks to those who supported me. The mission continues, even if I change seats,” said Gauss, in a disappointed tone but proud of the steps he took at the helm of AirBaltic.
According to Latvian sources, Gauss had lost all trust from the local government, and the Ministry of Economy had tried to contact him to carry out his resignation. “I lost the government’s trust. They were not happy with last year’s results,” added the former CEO.
What happened to AirBaltic last year?
The Latvian airline lost nearly 120 million euros in 2024. Much of this result was rooted in the coronavirus pandemic, which delayed most of the company’s profits, and they registered only 37 million dollars in earnings — a small figure for the airline.
“The pandemic impacted us deeply. In other parts of the world, the situation was different. Asia is still struggling, Europe is recovering, and the United States as well. Charging change fees is a specific source of revenue for airlines,” Gauss had emphasized at the time, suggesting that Latvia suffered more than others after the pandemic.
It is worth noting that AirBaltic, in recent years and with the pandemic in between, introduced new international routes. To counteract the million-euro losses, AirBaltic sold 10% of its shares to a German group. Another issue the Latvian airline had to face was the cancellation of over 4,000 flights due to maintenance problems with one of its aircraft. The Airbus A220 — a fleet launched by Gauss a few years ago — was the affected aircraft, and that did not sit well with the government.
Gauss’s sudden departure
The sudden exit of Gauss increased the German’s discomfort, which he highlighted in an interview with Reuters. He emphasized that during his more than eleven years in the role — under six different Latvian governments — he had never had problems with any of them, except the current one. A clear sign that Martin Gauss was out of strength and lacked the confidence to remain in the position.
“We have the youngest fleet in Europe. We have the most modern aircraft in their category, which is why we are achieving a large part of our fuel and emissions savings — a 25% reduction in emissions, simply by using this new aircraft,” Gauss said in a past interview.
In his farewell letter, Gauss’s final remark was aimed at politics and the sudden nature of his dismissal. The German, through his social media, expressed his discontent but highlighted the achievements and policies implemented at AirBaltic in recent years.