UK’s flag-carrier airline British Airways commenced regular traffic between Tallinn and London today, connecting Tallinn Airport with the UK capital’s Heathrow Airport.
Tallinn Airport’s Chief Commercial Officer Eero Pärgmäe said that arrival of British Airways’ inaugural flight was a long-awaited moment of celebration. „After lengthy negotiations and a busy preparation periood, we were very pleased to welcome British Airways’ red-white-and-blue Airbus A321 in Tallinn on Tuesday at 12.55,“ said Pärgmäe. „We believe that the addition of such a distinguished airline will increase the number of passengers between Tallinn and London and we remain hopeful that the frequency of flights between Tallinn and London will increase even more in the long term,“ added Pärgmäe. London is one of the key destinations for Estonia, with the overall passenger number with direct and connecting flights combined reaching to 150 thousand passengers per year.
Attracting one of the crown jewels in aviation to Estonia was a joint effort by Tallinn Airport, Enterprise Estonia, the UK Embassy in Tallinn and the Estonian Embassy in London. Enterprise Estonia’s Tourism Board director Tarmo Mutso said that the arrival of British Airways in Estonia is a clear indication of the excellent cooperation between all the partners and a joint offer considerably increases the chances of bringing new airlines to Estonia. „The UK and London in particular are key destination markets for the Estonian tourism sector, both for leisure and business travellers – the launch of British Airways’ flights to Tallinn is proof that well-targeted proposals is the right strategy and we shall continue with such cooperation on other routes as well,“ noted Mutso.
Deputy Head of Mission of British Embassy in Tallinn Kathryn Lindsay commented: “We are delighted that British Airways is starting up routes between London and Tallinn. It is a tangible symbol of the close ties between our two countries. We wish BA and Tallinn Airport every success for their partnership and very much hope to see it develop and flourish to make it easier for Estonians and Brits to do business, share ideas and enjoy each other’s cultural heritage.”
The flights will take place twice a week during the summer season, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The Tuesday flight will depart London at 8 am and Tallinn at 1:55 pm, the Saturday flight will leave London at 3:45 pm and Tallinn at 9:35 pm. Heathrow Airport is connected to the centre of London by the underground and it is also possible to fly to more than 220 destinations with British Airways from London.
