Earlier this month, Simple Flying reported on airBaltic’s plans to open a new European base in 2022. At the time of our interview with the airline’s CEO Martin Gauss, he remained understandably tight-lipped as to its location. However, the Latvian flag carrier has now revealed that the location for its new base, opening in May 2022, will be Tampere, Finland.
A fourth base
Simple Flying first learned of airBaltic’s plans to open a new European base earlier this month, when we had the chance to sit down with Martin Gauss at the World Aviation Festival in London. At the time, it had already established bases in Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius. Less than two weeks later, the Latvian flag carrier has now revealed the location of its new base.
Tampere-Pirkkala (TMP) is Finland’s eighth-busiest airport, despite serving the country’s most populous city outside the Greater Helsinki area. At present, airBaltic only flies there from its Riga hub. However, as of May 2022, it will have a much stronger presence, with six additional routes forming the basis of the new base. Martin Gauss welcomed the launch, stating:
“We have been performing direct flights from Tampere to Riga for almost five years now. Our decision to open a new base in Tampere shows our strong commitment to this city, and will offer more convenient and affordable travel options for many Finnish passengers.”
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Six new routes
While airBaltic is a familiar face in Tampere in terms of its flights to Riga, the big news regarding the launch of the airline’s fourth base is the six new routes that it will serve. The first of these to launch will be to Málaga, with the inaugural flight lifting off on May 1st. The following day, services to Frankfurt, Munich, and Olso will also commence from Tampere.
By May 3rd, the base will be in full swing, as this date will see the launch of the final two new routes from Tampere, serving Copenhagen and Rhodes. Málaga and Rhodes will be served twice a week, with fares starting at €99 ($112). The other cities will have three flights a week, costing as little as €49 ($55.50). Business fares range from €349 ($395) to €499 ($565).
Good for the airport and the city
The launch of airBaltic’s new base in Tampere marks an exciting piece of news for both the airport and the city. Finavia operates the airport, and its, Senior Vice President of Airport Network and Deputy CEO, Jani Jolkkonen, stated that:
“Tampere-Pirkkala Airport is a very important airport for Finavia and, in recent years, we have invested almost 20 million euros in developing the airport. The new base brings the airBaltic connections to Europe close to the local businesses and leisure travelers, whom we hope to utilize the new routes.”
The mayor of the city of Tampere, Anna-Kaisa Ikonen, added:
“Tampere Region has a lot to offer to both business and leisure travelers, and we are happy the region is now even more accessible to visitors from all over the world.”
It will certainly be interesting to see airBaltic’s new services get underway there next May.
What do you make of airBaltic establishing a base in Tampere? Did you expect Finland to be the location of its new base? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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