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... italy or no impact on the operation of conventional ferries. A major issue in the construction of a Helsinki- Tallinn link is the costs. Historically, bridges and tunnels are very expensive.
The Channel Tunnel, for instance, was built at a cost of EUR 15 billion. The "Oresund Bridge was constructed at a cost of EUR 1 billion. The Gulf of Finland, however, is much wider than either the English Channel or the "Oresund Strait. Considering this, the price would be necessarily more than the "Oresund link if a bridge, and more than the Channel Tunnel if a tunnel.
In both the Channel Tunnel and the "Oresund link, but countries have supported the project and shared costs. Since it would be a link between two countries, this is a reasonable stipulation to its construction. This could be problematic for both countries however: it is quite possible that Estonia would not be able to afford the construction of a link, and the entire or majority of the cost would fall on the shoulders of Finland. There is no doubt that a link would require intense deliberation on the issues of cost and payment. This alone may be deterrent enough for project realisation.
Is a Link Between Helsinki and Tallinn Feasible? This is a question that is going to be difficult to answer without expertise in bridge or tunnel construction. Perhaps it would be best to compare what has already been built in Europe, and see how a new Helsinki- Tallinn link would differ. The Channel Tunnel was built by the British and the French as a train link mainly between Paris and London.
The link was completed at a cost of about EUR 15 billion, and has yet to turn a profit. Indeed, it will take many years before the tunnel breaks even and becomes a source of revenue for the two counties. The tunnel is 31 miles long, 23 of which are under the English Channel. It was constructed at a depth of 50 meters under the surface, and took several years to build.
The cost of using the Channel Tunnel is expensive, with the cheapest train tickets costing about EUR 100. The "Oresund- Malm"o Bridge was completed in July 2000, and is 16 kilometres long. The bridge cost the Danish and Swedish governments about EUR 1 billion, and there is little data available showing when the bridge will be able to turn a profit. It is estimated that the cost of a one way crossing will be around EUR 40. (Greve 32) When comparing the Gulf of Finland to these two bodies of water, it becomes apparent that a link between Helsinki and Tallinn would be more expensive and difficult that either of the two previous projects in Europe. The Gulf of Finland is about 50 miles between the two capitals, and has an average depth of about 37 meters. Since the distance is so great, I think it would be nearly impossible to support a bridge link, and therefore the link would have to be a tunnel, at least until some technological breakthroughs can be made in bridge construction.
This would mean that the project would be larger even than the Channel Tunnel, with a cost far exceeding EUR 15 billion. Technologically, I think the project could be done, but the cost would be far too prohibitive. The price of the link would be almost impossibly high, and once completed, the price of using the new link would be enough to keep people using the ferries. In conclusion, though there is already a very strong bond between Helsinki and Tallinn, I think there are not enough people or resources to warrant the construction of a link like "Oresund.
There is already a steady demand for trans-Gulf transportation, and more than enough ferries and air transportation to cater to that demand. I believe things are best left as they are, with the exception of possibly refining the links already in place. V. Aviation Development in Scandinavia When the United States Congress passed the Airline Deregulation Act in 1978, the Bill said that any community currently receiving scheduled airline service was eligible for participation in the Essential Air Service program. This meant that large and small cities alike would retain airline service as long as they were served before the Bill passed. Small communities and medium sized cities, unable to sustain the carrier's service because of small passenger loads or limited funding were henceforth left without air transportation.
The agency in charge, now called the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), was prompted to broaden the scope of the Essential Air Service Act to those communities which lie in areas of limited air service. The EAS program now subsidise's 104 communities in the United States and Alaska, providing funding to local airports and paying scheduled air carriers for their services. (U. S. Congress) The question before us is whether or not a government mandated program, such as EAS, would work in the Baltic Sea area. Is it a necessary program to implement? Is a program of such magnitude the most practical way to intensify aviation services in the Baltic region?
And would it be feasible? Is Aviation Development in the Baltic Region Needed? Focusing on Finland, Sweden and Estonia, we can factually say that each country has a state-owned or privatised national carrier. Finnair operates on behalf of Finland, SAS operates jointly on behalf of Sweden, Norway and Denmark, and Estonian Airlines operates under the flag of Estonia. The real question is whether the route structures that these scheduled air carriers operate under, in addition to the timetables of other flag carriers, private, charter, international and state-owned airlines operating in these countries is enough air service to sustain economic activity and promote growth in the Baltic. Sweden probably has the most advanced air traffic system of the three countries, with over 40 airlines, air taxis, helicopter agencies, and for-hire charter companies registered in the country and operating within and across its boundaries. (Airlines Europe: R, S, T) Finland has 8 air carriers and 3 helicopter companies on its books, and Estonia, least developed with 4 airlines serving within its borders. (Airlines Europe: E, F, G) To speculate on the development of air traffic within Sweden, I would say that the country already has a significant aviation infrastructure, capable, and vast-reaching air service, and has done a tremendous job building a strong aviation base, both domestically and internationally.
Sweden owns a majority stake in SAS, and along with Norway and Denmark, has helped the airline to become one of the largest and most respected in the world. The route structure within Swedish airspace is massive, for the country's size. Even in the most remote towns and communities lie within reasonable driving distance to an airport, usually feeding the Stockholm hub. In certain cases, the smaller villages may not have service on a daily basis, but on a bi-daily or weekend basis. Nonetheless, the service is provided, and more often than not, the residents of these far-flung regions can connect with domestic and international flights with minimal stops en-route. If we think of Stockholm's Atlanta Airport as a wheel hub, then imagine its spokes reaching out toward areas in Scandinavia, North and South America, Asia and the rest of Europe.
The relative distance between Sweden's small cities and the rest of the world, via Stockholm, is minute considering their locations. Finland and Estonia, on the other hand, have less developed aviation infrastructures, due in part to the relatively small size of their national and regional carriers and the smaller population density in rural areas. Let us speculate that, for the time being, populations in Finland and Estonia's outlying communities will stay relatively the same over the next ten years. Residents of those communities have survived without air service for decades now, and without growth, they will continue to survive. Moreover, the distances between small communities and larger ones having airports is minimal.
Finnair operates to 22 destinations within Finland, a remarkable number considering the...
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