Saaremaa Air Service Feud Continues
After Saare County ended its contract with Estonian Air, the discontented islanders are again quarreling over a new tender that was announced last week.
The conditions of the tender for the Tallinn-Kuressaare route require nine flights per week, but critics, led by the local business association, want at least 11 - one flight every morning and evening on working days and one on Sunday evenings. Another argument is that Saaremaa representatives want 33-seater planes, but there are only enough funds to fly 17-seaters, reported Saarte Hääl.
A transport adviser for the county, Taavi Kurisoo, said the cost of maintaining a flight connection has risen dramatically. At the same time, he said, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has granted significantly smaller funds than asked by the county, and the ministry has repeatedly rejected subsequent applications during the last half-year.
Kuressaare Airport director Mati Tang represents the business association on the tender committee. “It is one thing what the passengers want [...] but the reality is something else,” said Tang.
Ott Tammik