Pärnu Airport Seeks EU Funds
The owner of Pärnu Airport, Tallinn Airport Ltd, is drawing up an application for EU transport funds to rennovate the facility.
Until now, other regional airports - in Kuressaare, Kärdla and Tartu - have taken priority, reported ETV.
Pärnu, itself a small town of 45,000, currently has connections wiht two small islands, Kihnu and Ruhnu. Other than that, it services 70-seater charter flights from Finland, but that is mainly in the summer.
Around 10 million euros would be needed for overhauling the runway, terminal, navigations systems and hangars, according to Andres Taimla, regional airports director for Tallinn Airport. An improved runway and facilities would enable the airport to receive bigger charter planes as well.
Tallinn Airport is currently drafting an application, which it will then submit to the Ministry of Economic Affairs. But a final decision may not come until 2014, when the EU's new budgetary period begins.
Ott Tammik