Tartu-Helsinki flights scheduled to begin between Estonia‘s second-largest city and the Finnish capital on January 1 won’t proceed as planned, as per the announcement from the Tartu City Government.
This is despite an earlier agreement made with Finnair for the service.
The city and the airline signed a tender for 12 weekly flights between Tartu and a destination for the next four years, with Tartu contributing to the funding.
Although the agreement set January 1, 2024, as the start date, the limited offer from Finnair suggests a probable delay in the commencement of the service.
Tartu’s Mayor, Urmas Klaas, expressed disappointment at the limited number of bidders for the aviation service, possibly reflecting the current state of the aviation market and the economy. He highlighted the need to ensure that Finnair’s requested compensation aligns with European Commission regulations regarding State aid.
“It has to be verified whether the amount of compensation Finnair requests is compatible with State aid rules and meets the conditions set by the European Commission.
“So, with all this work ahead, it’s hard to imagine that from January 1, any news could be shared,” Klaas added.
Flights between Tartu and Helsinki ended with the coronavirus pandemic, and attempts to restore them haven’t been unsuccessful yet.
SOURCE: Attempts to Retore Tartu-Helsinki Flights Still Unsuccessful
