Estonian Air

Estonian Air

File:Estonian Air newlogo.JPG
IATA ICAO Call sign OV ELL ESTONIAN
Founded	1991
Hubs	Tallinn Airport
Frequent-flyer program	EuroBonus
Fleet size	6 (+3 orders)
Destinations	20
Parent company	Scandinavian Airlines System
Headquarters	Tallinn, Estonia
Key people	Andrus Aljas (CEO) Rait Kalda (COO) Maigi Pernik-Pärnik(CFO) Rauno Parras (CCO)
Website	http://www.estonian-air.com/

AS Estonian Air is Estonia’s national carrier, owned by the Estonian state, SAS Group and investment bank AS Cresco. The airline is based in Tallinn, Estonia. It is a regional airline feeding into the Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) network via Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen from Estonia. Estonian Air Group operates a Handling Division that provides the handling of passengers and aircraft to the Group and on free market conditions to other airlines in Tallinn Airport. AS Estonian Air has one subsidiary and two joint ventures: in co-operation with the parent company AS Estonian Air Regional operates Saab 340 aircraft and provides commercial air services to the neighboring region; Estonian Aviation Fuelling Services AS provides aircraft fueling services at Tallinn Airport and AS Amadeus Eesti provides distribution system and support to local travel agents.

History

Estonian Air Boeing 737-500 at Tallinn Airport

The airline was established and started operations on December 1 1991, shortly after Estonian independence was restored. It was founded by the Estonian government with aircraft acquired from the defunct local Aeroflot Division and was partially privatised in 1996. In 1995, Estonian Air leased two Boeing 737-500s to replace its old Soviet planes, and in 1996, after obtaining two more Fokker 50s, it was able to retire the Soviet fleet entirely. In March 2007, Estonian Air announced that they will lease another Boeing 737-500 and serve a new destination, Vienna. Estonian Air has leased two Saab 340s and in June 2008 Estonian Air established a new company Estonian Air Regional. Under that name they will open new destinations from Tallinn to Kuressaare, Stockholm, Helsinki and Vilnius. Later on to Saint Petersburg and to Minsk.

Estonian Air has strong links with Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS). It operates frequent flights to SAS hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. The airline boasts "Well connected with SAS" status and the airline's frequent flyer programme is SAS' EuroBonus scheme. Other products and services shared with SAS include co-ordinated timetabling and shared airport lounges.

Unlike its affiliated carrier, Scandinavian Airlines, Estonian Air is not a member of the Star Alliance or any other airline alliance.

Estonian Air is owned by the SAS Group (49%), Estonian Government (34%) and Cresco (17%). It has 380 employees (as of March 2007).. On 27 November 2008, Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip announced that SAS had approached the Estonian government, urgently requesting a cash injection to save the airline and offering to buy out the government's stake in the airline. The Estonian government is reportedly in negotiations with ferry company Tallink to come up with a counter-proposal.

Facts

• 1991 Frankfurt was Estonian Air's first destination.
• 1992 Member of IATA
• 1993 President of Estonia Lennart Meri first flew to a visit with Estonian Air.
• 1995 First Boeing 737-500 ES-ABC was delivered, named Koit (Dawn). Smoking was banned on all Estonian Air flights.
• 1996 Second Boeing 737-500 ES-ABD was delivered, named Hämarik (Dusk). 66% of shares was privatized to Maersk Air (49%) and Cresco investment bank (17%).
• 1997 Corporative program Blue Star.
• 1998 Third Boeing 737-500 ES-ABE was delivered, named Põhjatäht (Northern Star). The website www.estonian-air.ee was created.
• 2000 Jorn Eriksen became CEO of Estonian Air
• 2002 Fourth Boeing 737-500 ES-ABF was delivered, named Eha. Erki Urva becomes CEO.
• 2003 Fifth Boeing 737-500 ES-ABG was delivered, named Virmaline. End of the leasing contract for the Fokker F50. Mairsk Air sold its shares to SAS.
• 2004 2 Boeing 737-500, ES-ABH and ES-ABI were acquired, named Sinilind and Tuuslar. 500,000th passenger travels with Estonian Air.
• 2005 Estonian Air sold more than half of the tickets on the Internet.
• 2006 2 Boeing 737-300, ES-ABJ and ES-ABK were delivered, named Sohni and Kalev.
• 2007 New destinations - Vienna, Helsinki, Vilnius and Kuressaare - were served and another Boeing 737-500 ES-ABL was delivered, named Linda. A new daughter company was established - Estonian Air Regional, which started operating 2 leased Saab ST340A.
• 2008 3 new destinations - Minsk, Munich and Rome. Company announced that it was ordering 3 Bombardier CRJ900 NG and further 3 options. New check-in system Amadeus was introduced.
• 2009 Estonian Air will give up its Vienna, Frankfurt and Simferopol route. Company will sell its ground handling division. New destinations- Amsterdam and Berlin.

Estonian Air ground handling now handles Air Europa, AMC Airlines, CSA Czech Airlines, City Airline, easyJet, Estonian Air Regional and Eurocypria Airlines.

The new Estonian Air's strategy for year 2011 was introduced. So-called "Diamond Strategy" included the expansion of the companies fleet up to 14 aircraft in 2011.

On Board Service

Premium Class

In the Premium Class cabin travel passengers with classical Business Class tickets, plus passengers traveling on Flexible Economy fares. All passengers in the Premium Class cabin will be served free catering. Breakfast, lunch or dinner and beverages are served on all our scheduled flights. Menu types are planned according to the flight time and departure.

Travel Class

Travel Class is designed for passengers with Economy fare tickets (Internet-only, campaign fares and lowest Economy fares). Economy fares do not include free meal on board. Passengers will be offered a buy-on-board menu of snacks and beverages. Payment for buy-on-board meal will be accepted by credit card or in cash (EEK, EUR and destination currency).

Estonian Air on board menu is rich and varied, using only local raw materials. Everyone should find something appealing from our soft drinks and alcohol assortment.

Passengers with classical Business Class tickets, plus passengers traveling on Flexible Economy fares can at least 24 hours before the departure order a special meal (vegetarian with or without dairy products, lactose free, fat-free, children meal, etc).

Destinations

Main article: Estonian Air destinations

See also SAS Group destinations

Fleet

Estonian Air fleet includes the following aircraft as of 30 March 2009 [2]:

Estonian Air Fleet

Aircraft Type	Total	Seats	Routes	Notes
Boeing 737-300	2	142	Medium range	Named: Sohni(ES-ABJ) and Kalev(ES-ABK) - (from "Kalevipoeg"), leased from ILFC and GECAS
Boeing 737-500	2	118	Medium range	Named: Sinilind(ES-ABH) and Linda(ES-ABL) - (Bluebird and Linda), leased from ILFC
Bombardier CRJ900 NG	(3 orders)(+3 options)	88	Medium range	Named: n/a
Saab 340A	2	33	Short range	Named: n/a, leased from Saab Aircraft Leasing

Routes, operated by Saab 340 aircraft, will be operated with one service class with a service level depending on the destination.

Retired Fleet

• Boeing737-500 6 (1995-2009)
• Fokker 50 5 (1996-2003)

Partners

SAS Group Airlines:

• Blue1
• Scandinavian Airlines System
• Spanair
• Widerøe

Other Airlines:

• Austrian Airlines
• Aeroflot
• Aerosvit Airlines
• Belavia

Business Class Lounge

Estonian Air Business Class passengers and SAS EuroBonus Gold/Pandion card holders are welcome to Business Class Lounge in the transit area. Payphone, free newspapers and magazines are available. Other facilities include a bar, Internet-connected computers and printers.

External links

• Estonian Air
• SAS Group