Estonian Air admits inferior quality of substitute planes

Photo: Marko Püüa

Due to seasonally tight schedules, Estonian Air has temporarily switched to propeller-driven aircraft of lower quality while asking same money for tickets.  

«It was surprising, somewhat. Basically like travelling back in time. Ten years or more,» said Postimees deputy editor Aivar Reinap after flying one such airplane between Tallinn and Stockholm last week.

He said entering the machine wasn’t too bad though it did not hold too many passengers. What Mr Reinap deemed as a negative was the propeller-plane’s inferior stability at flight. «One does feel with every cell in one’s body as it begins to land, and in case of air holes the weak-nerved might really have a problem,» related Mr Reinap, adding that this is an obvious step backwards. «Perhaps the finances at Estonian Air have really gotten so bad as to leaving them no choice.»

At the moment, for some of its lines Estonian Air is temporarily flying ATR and Saab 340 type planes belonging to the Swedish carrier Nextjet and the Lithuanian Dot LT. As explained by Estonian Air press representative Ilona Eskelinen, they have used rented propeller planes from other companies before, as they are doing now, to service the seasonally tighter flight schedule. Also, Estonian Air is currently in preparations to return its Embraers to leaser, whence the need for additional planes.

For Kristi, a lady who on Monday night flew a Nextjet plain from Stockholm to Tallinn, it came as a surprise that Estonian Air was using other companies’ planes. «They might have informed the passengers. In Stockholm, the plane departed from an airstrip and at times it felt like am I really flying to Tallinn,» related Kristi, one to fly Estonian Air rather frequently.

According to Estonian Air board member and commercial director Indrek Randveer, use of other types of planes isn’t as much a problem as it is a matter of what people are used to. «Why are we doing it? The reason is very rational. It is not prudent to operate this line with bigger planes,» explained Mr Randveer.

«Sure, the product is somewhat inferior in quality. I agree with that. We all agree with that,» he admitted.

«The thing is, keeping Estonian Air profitable is hard work as the company is very small,» said Estonian Air CEO Jan Palmér. «People are not used to propeller planes, but these planes are not bad, but indeed they are smaller,» he added.

Despite the inferior quality, the ticket price for these lines is the same. «Just the product is a bit different,» noted Mr Randveer, specifying that when buying a ticket people are not buying a plane, rather transportation from point A to point B. «In that case, the plane is not a major problem.»

Mr Randveer expressed hopes the lower quality planes would not impact the company’s reputation among passengers. «The people who fly a lot are largely in touch with finances, and they will understand.»

The planes rented from other carriers will be in Estonian Air use for quite a while, latest till mid-June. The contracts will be extended as the need arises.