Regional airports set for operational handover under new plan
Estonia's government has backed a proposal to transfer the operation of Pärnu Airport and the Kihnu airfield to new operators, signaling a shift in how regional air infrastructure will be managed.
"Regional airports help keep Estonia connected, but those connections must be well thought out," infrastructure minister Kuldar Leis said. "It is clear today that Pärnu Airport needs rethinking."
"Since the local government sees greater development potential for the airport and has expressed interest in operating it, we are ready to offer that opportunity to the city of Pärnu. If the city declines, we will offer airport operations to the private sector through a public tender," Leis added.
Estonia invested €18.5 million in reconstructing Pärnu Airport in 2021. The investment was made in cooperation with local businesses and the local government, whose support helped launch international flights from Pärnu. However, the start of flights was affected by the COVID‑19 pandemic and Russia's war in Ukraine.
"The ministry has discussed options with the Pärnu city government for restoring international air traffic and expanding business opportunities at the airport. The climate ministry, Tallinn Airport and the Pärnu city government must agree on the exact terms for transferring operations, but the state is ready to continue supporting airport operations at the current level," Leis said.
The state also wants to find a new operator for the Kihnu airfield, which is used occasionally for private and training flights but has not been used for public service flights for years. The future of the airfield will be decided together with the local government, considering both transferring it to the municipality and selling it.
The state has four regional airports and airfields on Kihnu and Ruhnu. Maintaining their infrastructure, ensuring necessary services and organizing flight connections costs Estonia about €21.5 million per year.
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Editor: Aleksander Krjukov
