How we moved the airBaltic office without downtime

August 9, 2026 at 10:10 pm, No comments

An office relocation for a large company is not about boxes — it is about making sure that the next morning,work continues as if nothing had changed. When the organisation is airBaltic, where operations run around theclock, every hour of downtime has a real cost. That is why relocating the airBaltic head office was a projectwhere the main task was not moving furniture, but making sure the company did not lose a single working day.

FF International Movers was the partner trusted with that job. In this article we share what we learnedcoordinating a large corporate office move — not to boast, but because projects like this show exactly whatseparates professional office moving from ordinary box transport.

If you are facing an office, IT infrastructure or other large-scale relocation, this experience shows what reallydecides the outcome.

Why a large office relocation is especially demanding

An office move differs from a household move in one essential way: continuity. At home, you can live with an unpacked box for a day. In an office, an unpacked box or an unplugged server means an employee — or a whole department — cannot work, and that hits revenue and customer service directly.

The second challenge is IT and technical equipment. Servers, data systems, workstations and network infrastructure require not only careful packing, but the correct disconnection and reconnection sequence, agreed with the company’s IT team. The wrong order can mean data loss or a long system recovery.

The third is scale and headcount. When dozens or hundreds of workstations are moving, every item must be labelled and delivered to the right room and the right person. Without a precise inventory system, a large office move turns into chaos, and the first day in the new premises is lost hunting for missing boxes. There is no room for improvisation here — everything rests on a plan made in advance.

How we organised the work — planning before the first box

The foundation of a successful office relocation is laid weeks before moving day. On the airBaltic project, the main work was planning: mapping workstations and departments, defining the moving sequence, and building a clear system for how each workstation, device and document travels from the old space to the new one in the right order.

In practice, this means a labelling and inventory system that lets you know at any moment where each part of the office is — in the old space, in transit, or already placed in the new office. Every box and piece of furniture is tied to a specific workstation in the new layout, so unpacking is targeted rather than a search.

The second planning element is the schedule and downtime minimisation. A move of this size is planned so that critical systems and departments are never idle at the same time. In practice this often means a phased move or work outside core hours — evenings and weekends — so the infrastructure is running in the new location before the first employee arrives. We coordinate IT relocation with the company’s IT team so that internet and server connectivity in the new office is ready in good time.

The third is the right equipment and materials. For office furniture, ergonomic chairs and sensitive IT equipment, we use appropriate packing, protective wrap and specific transport solutions that keep everything firmly secured and protected in transit. We follow the same principle — plan, inventory, right equipment — in every office move; only the scale differs.

What this experience means for your office move

Most of our clients are not relocating an airline’s head office — they are moving a ten- or fifty-person office, an archive or a company warehouse. But the principles that make a large corporate move succeed are exactly the ones that make any office relocation work.

Planning pays off. The earlier preparation starts and the more detailed the plan, the fewer surprises and the shorter the downtime on moving day. That applies to an airline and to a small office alike.

Inventory protects both goods and time. Labelling and a clear system mean nothing goes missing and every box reaches the right employee. That is the difference between a productive first day and a day spent looking for things.

Experience with the difficult is the value. A company that has successfully relocated the airBaltic head office or the National Library of Latvia will also handle your narrow stairwell, heavy safe or sensitive IT equipment. The ability to solve the unexpected is what separates a professional from a casual carrier.

If you are facing an office relocation where minimal downtime and safe IT transport matter, this is exactly the situation where experience with complex projects provides real security.

Frequently asked questions

Does FF International Movers only handle large offices? No. We handle small office and household moves as well as large-scale office, archive and institutional relocations. The airBaltic and National Library projects show what we can do at the most demanding end, but the same team and approach work for everyday moves.

Can you move an office outside working hours or at the weekend? Yes. That is precisely how we minimise downtime — critical systems and departments are moved in the evening or at the weekend so that work is not interrupted during core hours. The schedule is agreed in advance.

Do you have experience moving IT equipment and servers? Yes. We coordinate server and sensitive IT equipment relocation with your IT team to ensure the correct disconnection and reconnection sequence and timely connectivity in the new office.

How far ahead should an office relocation be planned? The larger the volume, the earlier you should start. For a medium office, we recommend 4–8 weeks; for large organisations, more. Early planning is the main factor behind both success and short downtime.

Is office equipment insured during the move? Yes, we carry civil liability insurance, and for particularly valuable equipment we offer additional solutions. Liability terms are fixed in writing before work begins.

Trust your office relocation to professionals

Relocating the airBaltic head office was one of the most demanding projects in our history — and it shows what FF International Movers can do when a company’s uninterrupted operation is at stake.

Operating since 2001 and a FEDEMAC member since 2003, we deliver the highest industry standards, full responsibility for your property, and experience proven across thousands of moves — from a single apartment to an airline’s head office.