A Record Number of Passengers Passed Through Tallinn Airport in May

Tallinn Airport served a total of 332,088 passengers in May, the highest number ever recorded for the month and a 21% increase year on year. The main reason for this growth was additional flight options, with airlines selling 25% more seats via new routes and extra flights.

The most popular destination in May was Stockholm, followed by Antalya, Helsinki, Riga and Frankfurt. New direct flights to Burgas, Malta, Dubrovnik, Split and Heraklion were introduced. The airline with the biggest market share was airBaltic, which carried 24% of all passengers. The average capacity of scheduled flights during the month was 72%.

Eero Pärgmäe, a member of the management board of AS Tallinna Lennujaam, says that while the airport is delighted with the result for May, the month did pose its challenges. "Over 20% more tickets are available on flights out of Tallinn this summer, and a lot of airlines are running promotions to fill up their seats," he said. "If you're flexible with your travel dates you'll find some great offers, so now's the perfect time to start making plans for autumn travels. Our long-awaited new destination for summer is Prague, which is being served four times a week by Eurowings. The highest number of extra flights during the summer season is on the Stockholm route, with both SAS and Ryanair flying more frequently to the Swedish capital – up to eight flights a day. The summer season runs from 31 March-27 October, during which you have the choice of direct flights to more than 50 destinations."

Although the airport plans its resources in accordance with flight schedules and statistics, situations may still arise during the peak season that lead to longer queues than local travellers are used to. "That's why we urge all passengers to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their flight," Pärgmäe added. "You should also double-check your travel documents and whether the destination you're flying to is in the Schengen area. If it isn't, then bear in mind that you'll have to go through passport control as well. It's always a good idea to have your passport with you in addition to your ID card, since the automated gates at the border only recognise passports. You should also keep in mind that if you're flying with a low-cost carrier, boarding starts 45 minutes before the planned departure time. So, again, make sure you're at the airport a good two hours beforehand so that you can get through security and passport control without any issues and make it to your gate on time."

A total of 5637 passengers passed through Estonia's regional airports in May: 3926 in Kuressaare, 1525 in Kärdla, 148 in Tartu and 38 in Pärnu. Finnair recommenced flights between Tartu and Helsinki on 2 June after suspending its flights between Helsinki and Tartu from 29 April-31 May due to interference with GPS signals.