Eero Pärgmäe

Member of the Management Board at Tallinn Airport

One of his most memorable moments with airBaltic goes back to 2011. At that time, the Fokker 50 aircraft was still in airline’s service. Eero Pärgmäe, Member of the Management Board at Tallinn Airport, was returning to Tallinn from a meeting in Riga with colleagues at Latvian Ministry of Transport when boarding took an unexpected turn.”

“The flight was overbooked, and I was the one left without a seat,” he recalls. “Since I really needed to get back to Tallinn, I asked if there was any possibility to still make the flight. After a while, the staff came back and said: ‘The captain asks if you’d be okay with the jump seat in the cockpit?’ Well, of course, I was!”

What followed was an unforgettable journey from Riga to Tallinn, right up front with the pilots. The weather was perfect, the flight smooth, and Eero was struck by how calm and composed the crew remained. “From the passenger cabin, take-off and landing can seem stressful. But from the cockpit, it was pure bliss. The landing over the city and Lake Ülemiste was breathtaking.” That afternoon became a lasting positive memory – and gave him the confidence to reassure fellow passengers with a fear of flying: “I know things are always under control in the cockpit.”

Today, Eero looks at airBaltic not just through the eyes of a passenger but as a vital strategic partner. As of 2025, airBaltic operates 22 direct routes from Tallinn, holding over 30% market share — the airport’s largest carrier. “airBaltic is a reliable partner that keeps expanding travel opportunities for Estonians,” he notes. “Each season brings new destinations, making the world even more accessible to all of us.”

From its first regular Riga–Tallinn flight in January 1996 with a 33-seat Saab 340 to today’s modern 145-seat Airbus A220 fleet, airBaltic has carried 7.5 million passengers from Tallinn. With four aircraft based there in 2025 and up to 85 flights weekly, the airline continues to ensure reliable, high-frequency service.

For Eero, airBaltic’s values mirror those of Tallinn Airport – long-term cooperation, environmental responsibility, and passenger-focused service. “We both work to expand accessibility for Estonian travelers and whole region, foster trust, and create a welcoming, reliable experience,” he says. The modern A220 fleet’s efficiency, innovation, and sustainability align closely with the airport’s own net-zero roadmap.