Tallinn Airport sees 55 percent drop in March passenger numbers
The number of passengers to be served by Tallinn Airport in March dropped 55 percent on year to 103,000.
The number of operated flights began declining in the second week of March, and by the end of the month, air travel had come to nearly a complete standstill, with the number of operated flights plummeting 90 percent, the airport company announced Friday.
During the same period last year, the airport served 600-700 operated flights per week on average, in the final week of March this year, just over 50 operated flights were left. No regular flights took place on March 29 or 30.
The number of passengers in the first three months of the year dropped 16 percent on year. A significant reduction was also seen in mail transport, which fell nearly 47 percent on year.
At the same time, the volumes of international cargo flights, such as those by DHL, TNT and UPS, which account for the majority of air cargo traffic, grew by one fifth.
Tallinn Airport CCO Eero Pärgmäe said that Tallinn Airport remains open, and in terms of scheduled flights, it is still possible to fly to Frankfurt with Lufthansa and Minsk with Belavia three times a week.
"At the same time, the situation in air traffic may change quickly, therefore we advise people to check for flight information on the Tallinn Airport website," Pärgmäe added.
Security at the airport is working as usual.
In addition, the airport has continued servicing flights related to freight, search and rescue, as well as medical flights and flights connected to the ongoing emergency situation.
"In this difficult time, we must not forget those in need of help, and in the current crisis situation, our role is to support flights that are necessary for surviving the crisis, such as flights for the transportation of personal protective equipment," the CCO noted.
Due to the reduction in the number of flights, the opening hours of Tallinn Airport's passenger terminal have changed, with doors opening two hours prior to the departure or arrival of the day's first flight, but no later than 8 a.m., and closing after the exit of the last arriving or departing passengers from the terminal at night, but no earlier than 8 p.m. The terminal is closed overnight.
This January, more than 213,000 passengers passed through Tallinn Airport, 4.1 percent more than during the same month last year. February passenger numbers totaled 211,698, up 8 percent on year.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla