The building was designed in 1939 and used as a passenger terminal from 1954 to 1980. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the building underwent extensive renovation.

Communications manager Margot Holts said the old terminal limits the expansion of the new passenger terminal and the airport's development over the next decade.

"The airport needs to be expanded not only from the passengers' point of view, but also from the point of view of aircraft movement. Space is needed so planes can safely pass one another. Aircraft have become much larger than they were 10 and five years ago," Holts said.

More space is needed near the current passenger terminal, and the old building would obstruct maneuvering aircraft, she added.

The airport is now working with the City of Tallinn and the National Heritage Board to find a solution that also follows heritage rules.

Holts said no final decision has been made to demolish the building and that "discussions are still ongoing."

"If demolishing the building does not prove possible, we are prepared to consider alternative solutions as well," she added.

Any potential timeline depends on the solution found and how it fits into the airport's development plans.

"When developing aviation, it is necessary to look far ahead, also to 2040 and beyond. We see that aviation will remain one of the most important transport options for Estonia in the future as well, and growth will continue. Therefore, it is important that today's decisions support the airport's development in the longer term," Holts said.

Tallinn Airport will undergo a €75 million renovation, which is the largest investment in its history, to double passenger capacity by 2030.

'Unique and fascinating'

However, Anita Staub, head of the National Heritage Board's built heritage department, said the agency views the situation differently and believes it should be designated a cultural monument.

The old passenger terminal is an outstanding and multilayered architectural heritage object with significant value from the point of view of Estonia's aviation history, architectural history and cultural memory, she told ERR.

"The building intertwines the functionalist architecture of the 1930s, postwar representative architecture and the conscious restoration practices of the 2000s, making it a unique and fascinating object. The building's interior is also outstanding, having been restored to a high standard," Staub explained.

Several experts have also come to the same conclusion, she added.

"At the same time, we understand the airport's development needs and believe that with cooperation, it is possible to find a solution that allows both the airport's development and the preservation of the valuable historic building," Staub said.

The building is currently defined as an object under local protection.

This article was updated to add comments from Anita Staub.

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