The largest investment to date in the development of Tallinn Airport, including self-service terminals and larger parking, is expected to double passenger numbers by 2030, ERR News reports.
In total, the existing building will be expanded by 16,500 square metres during the reconstruction, and 18,000 square metres of existing terminals will be rebuilt. The project is expected to cost 75 million euros.
The project will expand the airport’s baggage claim and collection areas, provide more parking space between the tram and passenger terminals, and expand border control and exit areas. Once the work is complete, the departure and arrival areas, which are currently located in one place, will be separated and located on their own level.
Tallinn Airport currently handles 2.8 million passengers a year, but the reconstruction will allow this number to increase to 5.5 million travelers a year. Riivo Tuvike, the airport’s CEO, said the goal is realistic, as the base case scenario predicts that the airport’s passenger numbers will reach at least 4.6 million passengers a year by 2030, while passenger numbers in Tallinn are constantly growing faster than the European average. In October, Tallinn Airport reported its second-best monthly financial performance in its history.
Tuvike said at a press conference on the 3rd of December that
the airport is very busy during the morning and evening peak hours, and that at these times the lack of space can be felt.
Currently, the airport has a baggage drop area with two full-size conveyor belts and one smaller one. After the reconstruction, passengers will be able to use five belts to drop off their luggage. Tuvike noted that the arrivals area will be located upstairs, while the number of gates will be increased for the convenience of Schengen zone passengers, and the catering and shopping areas will also be renovated. He added that the changes will provide more opportunities for passengers and bring more revenue to the airport.
The construction process will take place in four phases from 2026 to 2028 in such a way as to disrupt the airport’s operations as little as possible. It is planned that the first phase of work will begin in the last days of this year, and in December it is also planned to announce a procurement for the implementation of the second phase.
The last works left for the final stage of the project are the security check area, the VIP zone and the expansion of the main shopping area. The design has already been completed, but the procurement for this phase will not be announced yet. The final work should be done in 2029-2030, but Tuvike noted that the existing five security checkpoints are working effectively, so changes there may not be necessary.
The current Tallinn Airport building was built in 1980, but there has been an airport there since the interwar period. In the mid-2000s, the airport was already significantly rebuilt.
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