Aviation History
Estonia's aviation history began with the interwar carrier Aeronaut (1921–1927), was subsumed into Soviet Aeroflot during the occupation era, and restarted as an independent sector with Estonian Air's founding in 1991. Estonian Air ceased operations in 2015 after the European Commission ruled its state financing illegal, and the government-backed successor Nordica pivoted from scheduled flying to wet-lease charter work before winding down in 2024–2025. Today Estonia has no long-running conventional flag carrier, and Tallinn (Lennart Meri) Airport is served mainly by foreign and low-cost carriers — a structure that has continued to evolve and may change again.
Aeronaut became Estonia's first airline, connecting Tallinn to Helsinki, Riga, and other regional cities before folding in 1927.
Tallinn Airport officially opened with the country's first concrete-paved runways.
Soviet occupation placed Tallinn Airport and all Estonian air services under Soviet military and Aeroflot control for the next five decades.
SAS launched service to Tallinn, the first Western carrier to fly there in fifty years, signaling Estonia's reopening ahead of restored independence.
Following Estonia's restoration of independence, the government established Estonian Air as the country's flag carrier, using aircraft inherited from the former Soviet Aeroflot directorate.
Estonia joined the European Union, integrating its aviation market with the EU single aviation area.
Estonian Air shut down on 8 November 2015 after the European Commission ruled its government financing constituted illegal state aid.
State-backed Nordic Aviation Group, branded Nordica, took over as Estonia's national carrier before shifting to wet-lease operations from 2019 and ceasing activity in 2024–2025.
Estonian Air (1991–2015, defunct) · Nordica / Nordic Aviation Group (2016–2024/25, defunct) · Aero Airlines (defunct)
Wikipedia, Estonian Civil Aviation Administration, airline corporate histories, aviation trade press