The Chair of Gulf Air Group, Khalid Taqi, announced on September 17, 2025, that Gauss would take up the reins at the carrier, praising his “distinguished career in airline leadership” and “extensive experience”. 

airBaltic and Gauss parted ways in April 2025, following a shareholder meeting. Latvian politicians said that the government had lost confidence in the carrier’s top management. 

“I am honoured to join Gulf Air as CEO. The airline has a rich legacy as Bahrain’s national carrier, and I look forward to working with the team to build on this strong foundation. Together, we will continue Gulf Air’s transformation journey and enhance its competitiveness regionally and globally,” said Gauss.  

In a statement, Gulf Air said that it had “confidence” in Gauss’ ability to “advance the national carrier, enhance competitiveness, strengthen corporate culture, expand the global network, and improve operational performance, thereby further solidifying Gulf Air’s position as a proud representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain on the international stage”. 

The Bahrain carrier also announced that Gulf Air Group CEO, Jeffrey Goh would be leaving the company.  

The airline thanked Goh for his “dedication and achievements, particularly in guiding Gulf Air Group through the post-COVID-19 recovery”. 

“It has been a great honor to lead Gulf Air Group during this pivotal phase of its journey. I am grateful to the Board, employees, and all our partners for their tremendous support during my tenure as Group CEO,” said Goh. 

He added: “Together, we faced exceptional challenges and advanced the Group’s transformation toward the future. Gulf Air Group has a proud legacy that positions it for continued growth and success.” 

Gauss will begin his tenure as Gulf Air CEO on November 4, 2025.

Credits: Gulf Air

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As a next step, airBaltic’s Supervisory Board will expand to five members. Dr. Alexander Feuersänger (Lufthansa Group) and Ruta Amtmane will join current members of the Supervisory Board Andrejs Martinovs, Jurģis Sedlenieks, and Lars Thuesen, bringing additional aviation and governance expertise to the Board.

Dr. Alexander Feuersänger brings over 20 years of management experience in the aviation industry, with a focus on fleet management, aircraft maintenance, and product development. He currently serves as Senior Vice President Fleet Management at Lufthansa Group, and holds board positions at Ameco Beijing and German Operating Aircraft Leasing. Prior to this, Dr. Feuersänger held senior roles at Lufthansa Technik. He earned his Ph.D. in Aeronautics from ISAE-SUPAERO in Toulouse, and holds a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from RWTH Aachen University and Imperial College London. He has also completed executive education programs at Columbia Business School and IMD Business School.

Ruta Amtmane has more than 20 years of management experience in legal, compliance, and corporate governance roles within the banking and financial services sector. She currently serves as Deputy Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of AS APF Holdings. Previously, she was a Management Board member of AS Industra Bank and has held various senior positions at AS Reverta (formerly AS Parex Bank), SIA DNB Līzings, and AS DNB Banka. Amtmane holds a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Latvia and a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the RIMPAK Livonija Business Institute.

The term of office of the new Supervisory Board members will commence on the day the increase of airBaltic’s share capital is registered with the Latvian Register of Enterprises.

airBaltic operates more than 130 routes from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere, and, seasonally, Gran Canaria, offering connections to a wide range of destinations in the airline’s route network in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus region. A complete schedule of airBaltic flights and tickets are available on the company’s homepage at www.airbaltic.com.

About airBaltic:
airBaltic (Air Baltic Corporation AS) is the leading airline in the Baltics and one of Europe’s fastest-growing carriers. As a hybrid airline, it leverages the upsides of both traditional network and low-cost carriers. Through a network of more than 130 routes from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere and, seasonally, Gran Canaria, airBaltic connects the Baltics with over 80 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus.

Founded in 1995, today airBaltic operates one of Europe’s youngest fleets, consisting of 50 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, and employs over 2 800 people. In February 2025, airBaltic became the first European airline to offer free high-speed SpaceX Starlink internet on its flights.

airBaltic’s commitment to excellence is recognized by numerous prestigious awards, including being named the Best Airline in its region by Skytrax for three consecutive years. In 2023, APEX awarded the company the Passenger Choice Award for Best Cabin Service in Europe, and in 2024, airBaltic received the APEX Four Star Major Airline Award for its commitment to providing a high-quality travel experience. The same year, the airline was awarded the PROS AI Innovator Award for leveraging AI to drive transformative outcomes and optimize operations. In 2025, airBaltic made its debut in the global rankings compiled by Airline Ratings, which recognized it among the world’s 50 safest airlines and included it in the list of the world’s top airlines for 2025.

Credit: airBaltic https://company.airbaltic.com/en/newsroom?press=2025/lufthansa-group-investment-in-airbaltic-completed-alongside-latvian-state

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