Estonian Air Returns to Copterline Question
Estonian Air is once again considering buying the Finnish carrier Copterline, which restarted its flights in September after several years of inactivity.
Eesti Päevaleht has quoted Estonian Air's chairman Joakim Helenius saying that his company's management has been tasked with clarifying whether such a purchase would be justified.
Helenius said that a helicopter link between Tallinn and Helsinki, which has been Copterline's primary service, would be a way to attract more passengers to reach points in Europe via the Estonian capital.
"Business travelers could get from the center of Helsinki to Tallinn very quickly and fly on from here. It would be faster than going to Vantaa Airport and flying from there on Finnair," he said.
Copterline's Executive Director Tõnis Lepp declined to comment.
Last Spring, Estonian Air said it was interested in buying Copterline, which had declared bankruptcy the previous year. No deal came together.
Copterline's business languished after a crash of one of its helicopters in August 2005 killed all 12 passengers and two crew members aboard.
Steve Roman