According to a press release from Lithuanian flight operator Transaviabaltika, which operates the route, whilst not all the planned work at the airport, located just outside the island's capital, Kärdla, has been complete, tarmac improvement on the runway is complete and thus flights between Kärdla and Tallinn can recommence.

Kärdla Airport itself has stated that the system of navigation lights will not be operational in September and thus aircraft landing there will do so by visual approach.

"In view of that, weather conditions may necessitate delays or cancellations," Rene Must, spokesperson for Transaviabaltika was quoted in the press release as saying, asking for understanding and patience from passengers.

Two weeks' downtime

Flights on the Tallinn-Kärdla route were halted from 17 August due to the work, being performed on the flightside of the airport, including overhaul of the airstrip along with the tarmac of the taxiways and the apron, finishing Friday, 31 August. The widening of the taxiways from 14 m to 15 m has been one of the biggest jobs, it is reported.

The new navigation lights system mentioned above is to introduce a GPS-based solution, enabling landing in low cloud cover.

Transaviabaltika's contract with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications to operate flights on the Tallinn-Kärdla-Tallinn route is set to run until May 31, 2019.

The ferry service linking the island to the mainland of Estonia was also out-of-service for one day on 17 August.

An adult round-trip ticket from Tallinn to Kärdla on 1 September would cost around €50 with Transbaltika if booked online, at press time.

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