OREANDA-NEWS. January 03, 2011. Small Planet Airlines has signed a contract to operate charter flights from Moscow to Tallinn and would bring Russian tourists to celebrate New Year 2011 in Estonia. The first flight from Moscow took place on December 30.

Jelena Hmelnitski, Chief Executive Office of Small Planet Airlines AS said that it was the first time the Estonian company would work in the field of incoming tourism and would carry Russian tourists to Estonia.

"Interest in our country as a travel destination is increasing from year to year, and therefore we regard cooperation with Russian tour operators as very promising. This time the Airline will bring nearly 300 tourists to Estonia from Russia. The flights will be operated in cooperation with tour operator Nordic Star. We hope that cooperation with the Russian market will continue," Hmelnitski said.

In 2009 Estonian charter carrier Small Planet Airlines carried 85,000 passengers, owned about 50 percent of local charter market and reached 146 million kroons (EUR 9.3 mln) in revenues. Small Planet Airlines works in cooperation with leading Estonian tour operators Novatours and Horizon Travel.