TIRANA, May 9 – The Albanian Socialist Party-led government says it is receiving assistance by Turkish Airlines, one of the world’s leading airlines, to set up its own national flag carrier that would considerably improve service and reduce current ticket prices, among the region’s highest.
Speaking this week in Tirana at a joint press conference with Ilker Ayci, the CEO of Turkish Airlines, Prime Minister Edi Rama said he was optimistic that with the support of the Turkish government and President Erdogan Albania would have its own ‘Red and Black’ national carrier in the course of a year and open up its second international regional airport in Vlora, southern Albania, and a smaller tourist airport in Saranda, southernmost Albania.
Turkish Airlines, whose 49 percent stake is held by the Turkish government, serves more than 275 destinations in five continents, being one of the fastest growing airlines.
“I am very grateful to Turkey’s President and the Turkish Airlines CEO for their invaluable assistance. We are close to finalizing this project and I am optimistic that the first flights will be carried out by this year,” said Prime Minister Rama.
“Finally, an Albanian national flag carrier will be a reality serving with the same quality to Turkish Airlines,” he added.
The Prime Minister blamed the air transport situation in the country on the problematic concessionary deal Albania has with country’s sole international airport, preventing the entry of low-cost carriers.
More than a year after having its exclusive rights on international flights lifted in return for having its original 20-year concession contract extended by two years until 2027, paving the way for the operation and construction of new airports, Albania continues to have a sole international airport and one of the region’s highest tickets.
Albania already has a reconstructed airport in Kukes, northeastern Albania, but its unfavorable location does not serve the country’s promising tourism industry a lot and only a new airport in southern Vlora and Saranda close to the Albanian Riviera, could really give a boost to tourism.
Turkish Airlines CEO Ilker Ayci said the Turkish carrier was already preparing a feasibility study on the Albanian airline project.
“We will increase the service quality both at the airport and on board. We will make important changes supporting all passengers and their destinations,” said Ilker Ayci.
The project comes few months ahead of the scheduled June 18 general elections which the main opposition Democrats and their allies have decided to boycott after their request of caretaker government to handle them and guarantee free and fair elections was not taken into account.
The Tirana International Airport handled a record high of 2.13 million passengers in 2016, up 8.2 percent compared to 2015, and more than double compared to 2005 when a German-led consortium obtained a 20-year concession contract to upgrade and manage the country’s sole international airport.
In October 2016, the airport was taken over by a Chinese consortium led by China Everbright Limited acquiring a 100 percent stake for an undisclosed amount that is estimated at €82 million.
Earlier this year, Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air launched its low-fare service reconnecting Tirana to Budapest after a five-year break following Malev’s 2012 bankruptcy.
Some 17 airlines connect Tirana to European destinations, mostly Italy where most passengers fly considering an estimated community of some 500,000 Albanian migrants in the neighbouring country across the Adriatic.
