New route from Prague to Vilnius takes off, but without lewdly-named planes

A new airBaltic route from Prague to Vilnius will launch later this spring, but without one much-anticipated feature. The carrier has confirmed it will not immediately apply special decals to its aircraft featuring the names of Estonian cities, including Kunda and Püssi, which became viral sensations thanks to an enthusiastic push from Czech voters.

The names were originally meant to be showcased on the carrier's new flights, including the route from Prague to Vilnius that launches in May, starting this month. However, logistical delays have temporarily shelved the rollout of the controversial names.

The airline’s decision to name 48 of its Airbus A220-300 planes after Baltic cities came following a public vote. Czech social media users were instrumental in driving Kunda to the top of the rankings, primarily due to its unfortunate connotation in the Czech language.

In August 2024, airBaltic launched an online poll to select the names of its new aircraft from municipalities in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. While the contest was open to the public, it was Czech internet users who played a significant role in ensuring that the Estonian town of Kunda won.

The town, with a population of around 3,000, gained massive traction because the name "Kunda" carries a vulgar meaning in Czech, referring to female genitalia.

This humorous yet strategic campaign caught the attention of Czech social media, turning the voting contest into a viral sensation. By the final day of voting, Kunda had garnered over 265,000 votes, far outpacing the second-place town, Püssi, which received around 17,000 votes.

AirBaltic did not reveal the number of Czech votes but acknowledged the significant international interest the competition generated.

Initially, the plan was for airBaltic to apply decals with the names of the selected cities, including Kunda and Püssi, to its fleet of Airbus A220-300 aircraft. The airline had intended to start this process for its new flights, including the Vilnius route, in time for the summer season beginning March 30, 2025.

However, airBaltic confirmed this week that the application of the city names has been delayed. The delay has raised questions about whether the controversial names, especially Kunda, will really appear on planes flying to Prague. The airline's first direct flights between Prague and Vilnius are scheduled for May 22.

"The naming of the aircraft will take place gradually, with the timing depending on the operating schedule of each aircraft," airBaltic representatives told iDnes.cz last week. "Therefore, we cannot currently provide an exact schedule for when the aircraft will bear new names."

Though the timing of the name application remains uncertain, airBaltic is still moving forward with its expansion plans, which include new direct flights to Vilnius from Prague. The airline will begin flying this route twice a week on Thursday and Saturday starting in the third week of May, marking the first time airBaltic will offer regular service from Prague to Lithuania's capital.