Jokey Czechs invade airBaltic poll to give plane a lewd name

Czech internet users have humorously sabotaged an online poll held by Latvian airline airBaltic to help name 48 of its aircraft after Baltic cities. 

The competition lists 232 cities and towns from Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. Each country has tens of places that people can vote for – the top 16 areas within each country get a plane named after them. Almost all have innocuous names that don’t mean anything to a Czech speaker – but some have some unfortunate double meanings.

At the moment, the small coastal town of Kunda leads the Estonian rankings, with a massive 145,000 votes – a wide margin over the rest of the playing field. This is not, however, due to Kunda’s cultural significance or beauty. Kunda, in Czech, is a slang, derogatory vulgarism for a woman’s genitalia.

In second place comes Püssi, spurned forward by Czech internet users. The name may raise some eyebrows, but Püssi happens to be a quiet town in north-east Estonia with a population of under 1,000. There’s little doubt that Püssi residents will be bewildered at their area being brought to global attention. Püssi trails Kunda by a substantial margin, with 11,844 votes as of Friday.

“The names of these cities are beyond the control of airBaltic airlines, and in certain languages, some names can simply have different meanings,” Daniela Bergmaneová, a spokeswoman for airBaltic, told media outlet Novinky.cz – probably wearily. Her statement reassured Czechs that Kunda is not at risk of disqualification. The airline's decision to allow worldwide voting has dramatically influenced the race, particularly in Estonia, where local sentiments might otherwise favor Püssi.

The unexpected rise of Kunda has surprised everyone in the Baltic region. “Most people would probably choose Püssi for the same reasons the Czechs are supporting Kunda,” noted a local observer. The three capital cities – Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn – currently sit in third place in their respective countries, overshadowed by smaller towns.

Czech internet users jokingly called on others to “participate in the most important vote of your life” and to “fulfill your Czech duty.” This grassroots campaign has propelled Kunda's popularity, showcasing the influence of social media in contemporary voting processes.

The poll is public and open to everyone – explaining the high vote numbers – and closes on Aug. 22.

Aviation enthusiasts in the Czech Republic have expressed hopes that if Kunda wins, airBaltic will feature the aircraft on the Riga-Prague route, aptly blending humor and national pride in the skies.