The route makes Helsinki and Kuressaare, Saaremaa's capital, closer in travel time than Kuressaare and Orissaare, a town about 50 kilometers away on the island's northeast coast.

The seasonal service operates four times a week through the summer, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.

Passengers boarded the inaugural flight in high spirits at Helsinki Vantaa Airport and were welcomed in similar fashion, including by folk-costumed dancers, upon arrival in Kuressaare. Saaremaa has long been a popular destination for Finns and Swedes.

"We have been actively promoting the Kuressaare route. We have marketed it both in Finland and Sweden. We are pleased that Finnair has joined us as a partner for the Finnish market, but we will certainly continue promoting it in Sweden too. Most important, Saaremaa's tourism businesses and Visit Saaremaa need to strongly market this route to their potential customers this year, to get the planes full and so the route comes back next year. That is the most important thing," Tallinn Airport board member Eero Pärgmäe said.

The route previously operated 21 years ago, though only for one summer. Its long-term viability now depends on both Finns visiting Saaremaa and island residents traveling to Finland.

"We're actually continuing beyond Helsinki because our younger son really loves traveling by ship, so we're heading on to Stockholm on a large ferry. When an opportunity like this is brought right to your doorstep, you have to take advantage of it. The ticket costs around €80 per person. I believe traveling overland would be more expensive and certainly not as interesting," passenger Mikk Tuisk said.

"At the moment, the route is primarily intended for the Finnish market during the peak holiday season—from early June to early August in Finland. Plans for next summer have not yet been finalized, as decisions on seasonal routes are usually made towards the autumn. But the initial reception has been very warm, we are satisfied with bookings, and we hope this continues throughout the summer," said Timo Vürmer, Finnair's head of flight planning.

One Saaremaa tourism promoter who joined the inaugural flight said she hopes interest in the route remains strong in both directions.

"I think Saaremaa has a great deal to offer Finnish visitors. When I spoke with people there today, they talked about our wonderful beaches, how pleasant and peaceful it is here, how good the food is, and what great events take place here. So I think there are more reasons than you can count on both hands," said Kristina Mägi, Saaremaa's tourism marketing chief.

"Absolutely wonderful! You can get from Helsinki to Kuressaare faster than from Kuressaare to Orissaare! It's fantastic!" Mägi added.

Finnair also operates flights between Helsinki and Tartu, as well as between Helsinki and Tallinn. Flights between Saaremaa and the Estonian mainland are operated by NyxAir.

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