airBaltic flight from Dubai to Riga turned into a 24-hour hell 0 14

"It was February 4, 2026. We arrived at Dubai Airport on time. The Dubai–Riga flight was scheduled to depart at 09:30 and arrive in Riga at 14:55, flight number BT792. At 08:33 local time (it was 06:33 in Latvia), an email arrived from airBaltic about the flight delay — the new departure time was 10:02. The email included two documents — regarding passenger rights in Latvian and English, stating under what circumstances compensation can be requested, when free meals are provided, and when they are not. During the subsequent journey, which lasted nearly 24 hours, many of these points were grossly violated," writes Straube.

According to him, passengers were boarded onto the plane around 10 a.m., but it spent another four hours on the ground. During this time, passengers were offered only half a glass of drink for free once. Everything else — drinks and food — was offered for a fee.

Finally, around 14:00, the plane took off, but it headed not to Riga, but to Bucharest. After landing, passengers were informed that the technical condition of the aircraft did not allow for the continuation of the flight, and everyone needed to leave the plane. A reserve aircraft was flying from Riga to Bucharest, which was to be awaited.

Only at 23:00 did the reserve aircraft arrive, and five minutes after midnight, it took off for Riga. The plane landed in Riga around 02:00 Latvian time.

"Upon landing, the pilot apologized for the inconvenience but did not explain whether any compensation could be expected, where to go in the airport, or what needed to be done to receive it," notes Straube.

He and other passengers had a number of questions:

• Why was it only around 14:00 in Dubai that it was officially announced that the plane was flying to Bucharest, when the route had already been changed on the screens in the cabin by 13:00;
• Why did the reserve aircraft, which according to FlyRadar departed from Riga at 17:50, get delayed from the very beginning and only arrive at 23:30;
• Why was the plane refueled with two tons of fuel in Bucharest despite already identified problems with fuel supply;
• Was the Dubai–Bucharest flight really "completely safe" if the aircraft was not allowed to take off again after landing;
• Wasn't the crew service required, according to passenger regulations, to provide all passengers with hot meals for free;
• Why were only those passengers who expressed complaints about the paid meals informed that receipts could be submitted to airBaltic for reimbursement — and why was this information not communicated to all passengers on the flight?