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The votes are in, and airBaltic has announced the results of an online poll that allowed people to choose the names for 48 aircraft from its Airbus A220-300 fleet from municipalities in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Now, only one question remains: will Kunda fly to Prague?
What began as a regional contest earlier this month quickly gained international attention, particularly from Czech voters, who played a significant role in propelling the small Estonian village of Kunda to the top of the rankings.
The vote, which ran from August 5 to 22, saw unexpected levels of participation from Czech internet users, who humorously rallied around Kunda. The Estonian town with a population of around 3,000 attracted attention not for its cultural or historical significance, but because its name, in Czech, is a vulgar slang term for female genitalia.
This linguistic coincidence sparked a viral campaign on Czech social media, with users mobilizing to ensure Kunda secured a spot among the 48 cities to be emblazoned on airBaltic's aircraft. By the final day of voting, Kunda had amassed over 265,000 votes, far outpacing the second-place city, Püssi, which garnered around 17,000 votes. In a distant third was the Estonian capital, Tallinn, with about 9,000 votes.
Although airBaltic did not disclose the final vote tallies or explicitly mention the Czech involvement, the airline acknowledged the significant international interest the competition had generated.
"We are delighted with the tremendous enthusiasm and engagement this contest has generated," airBaltic CEO Martin Gauss stated in announcing the results of the vote.
In response to Kunda's victory, some social media users have suggested that airBaltic should feature the Kunda plane on the Riga-Prague route, a proposal that resonates with the Czech enthusiasm for the campaign. The winning names will begin to appear on airBaltic’s aircraft next year.
The airBaltic competition was launched to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Baltic Way, a peaceful protest in 1989 that saw millions of people form a human chain across the Baltic states, advocating for independence from the Soviet Union.
By naming its aircraft after cities in Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, the airline aimed to celebrate and strengthen the ties between these nations. Inadvertently, airBaltic may have also strengthened bonds with the Czech Republic, which is also celebrating 35 years of independence this year, thanks to the power of Kunda.
