Passenger numbers for Tartu-Helsinki flights show steady growth
Passenger numbers on Finnair flights between Tartu and Helsinki have increased significantly this year due to improved stability, prompting preparations for a new public procurement process to secure the route's future.
About 27,300 people used the route in 2024, and the number grew to roughly 44,500 passengers last year. Around 21,400 people have used the connection during the first five months of this year, said Tallinn Airport Board Member Eero Pärgmäe.
"In May 2024, GPS interference was a concern, but that was the last major problem in Tartu," Pärgmäe said. "The route has operated consistently for two years now. It is evident that when the flight connection is stable, passengers start to trust it more and passenger numbers steadily grow. If we look at the first five months of this year, the number of passengers has grown by 12 percent compared to last year."
Pärgmäe added that a large proportion of the passengers are business travelers, but the profile of flyers becomes broader every year.
A Finnair representative said in a written comment that the company does not disclose route load factors, but the carrier is very satisfied with the passenger statistics. According to Finnair, the most popular destinations for onward travel from Tartu are major European cities such as Paris, London and Berlin, but there is also demand for flights to the United States and Asia.
Tartu city organized a public procurement process several years ago to find an airline to fulfill the public service obligation for regular flights between Tartu and Helsinki airports. As a result, a contract was signed with Finnair, which will end in December of next year.
Tartu Mayor Urmas Klaas said that initial preparations for a new tender are underway to ensure connections to the wider world for southern Estonians. While Tartu and the Estonian state currently pay about €854,000 per year to keep the flight route running, Klaas said that financial contributions will likely also be needed for the new contract period.
"If we are talking about certainty to keep the route functioning, then such a public route tender is necessary, along with a certain extent of financial support from the city and state," Klaas noted. "On the other hand, if we see that there are enough passengers, there is reason to believe that this assistance could be smaller in the future."
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Editor: Argo Ideon
Source: ERR radio news
