According to the Lithuanian Airports (LTOU), in October and November of this year, they incurred losses of about 200,000 euros due to Belarusian smuggled balloons, which most hinder the operation of Vilnius Airport (VNO).
According to the company, this amount consists of lost revenues and other direct losses (salaries, operating expenses, and so on), BNS reports.
According to LTOU communications manager Vitalija Roče, LTOU will assess all direct losses and lost revenues for 2025 at the end of the year.
She noted that the estimated losses do not include all the losses incurred by airlines, ground handling companies, and other partners operating at the airports. According to her, the total damage has already exceeded 800,000 euros, and a civil lawsuit is being prepared with partners.
Roče also noted that the number of flights operated by VNO in January will be 3.8% less than previously planned.
According to the LTOU representative, temporary airspace restrictions over VNO were introduced 15 times (continuously or in several stages) between October 4 and December 7, 2025. During this time, navigation signs characteristic of balloons were recorded in areas hazardous to aviation.
It is claimed that during this period, airspace restrictions were also introduced over Kaunas Airport. The restrictions affected more than 350 flights and approximately 51,000 passengers.
On December 9, the Lithuanian government declared a state of emergency throughout the country due to smuggled weather balloons from Belarus, which systematically violated the country's airspace and jeopardized the normal operation of Vilnius Airport.
U.S. President's envoy John Cole stated on December 13 that Belarusian government leader Alexander Lukashenko promised to stop the flights of weather balloons from his country to Lithuania.
It was also reported that Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys stated that Lithuania would agree to send an ambassador with special assignments to Belarus for negotiations.
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