Riivo Tuvike said in a Vikerraadio interview that buying Air Baltic is not a good idea for Estonia. He said that managing an airline business in a small region is very difficult.
Tuvike also talked about Tallinn Airport's successful summer. In July, the airport served 384,000 passengers, which is 19% more than last year. The number of passengers is constantly growing.
The most popular destinations are Warsaw, Frankfurt, Riga, and Helsinki. Wizz Air has opened several new routes that are popular. People are flying more to Eastern Europe than before.
Flying has become cheaper, which is why people travel more. Air ticket prices have fallen compared to a few years ago.
In 1991, Tallinn Airport served 758,000 passengers. This number dropped to 205,000 the following year. This year, 3.7–3.8 million passengers are expected.
The Hormuz Strait crisis has affected aviation fuel prices, but there is no shortage. Prices are higher, but alternative solutions have been found.
Air ticket prices are rising due to the increase in fuel costs. However, low-cost airlines like Wizz Air still offer cheap tickets.
Tallinn Airport plans to expand because the current terminal is too small. The number of passengers is growing, and the new terminal is expected to be completed by 2029.
Tuvike believes that Estonia has better places to invest than Air Baltic. He emphasized that air connections will remain in Estonia even if Air Baltic disappears.