Following heavy losses last year from Estonia’s national airline, Estonian Airways, passenger numbers are up significantly in 2015. 

During the first six months of 2015, the airline carried 276,000 passengers, representing an increase of 7.3% on the same period last year.

Passenger numbers for June were up 14% on the same month last year.

Airline Troubles

Estonian Airways is almost entirely government owned and had received government bailouts in both 2012 and 2013 to keep it afloat. Last year the Ministry of Finance said the airline owed over €41 million to the government as a result.

The figures for 2015 suggest that maybe things are beginning to turnaround for the national carrier, who are the largest airline at Tallinn airport.

Earlier in the year, Estonian Airways had complained that bailed out Latvian airline, Air Baltic were to expand into Tallinn airport and run competing routes with Estonian Airways.

They had complained that airlines receiving government funding should not be entering other EU markets in competition.