Airline Companies increase security checks at Tirana International Airport

TIRANA, Aug. 12 – Starting from Friday, 11 August 2006, the airline companies operating at Tirana International Airport have introduced stricter security measures for the check-in procedures at the Airport. The airport security has been intensified following the suspected terrorism threats at London’s Heathrow Airport. British Airways, Austrian Airlines, Albanian Airlines, Malev Hungarian Airlines and other airline companies have applied to their direct and connecting flights stricter rules of security checks for passengers. Travelers flying to United Kingdom or United States of America will not be allowed to carry hand luggage into the aircraft cabin. Furthermore, airline companies have announced that objects like matches, lighters and different liquids like alcoholic drinks, lemonades, perfumes or tooth pastes will not be allowed to be taken into the aircraft cabin until further notice. The same ban applies for sharp objects like scissors, nail clippers and similar metallic objects. According to the latest notice, objects like credit cards, wallets, travel documents, medications, optical or sun glasses without their boxes, food for babies, tissues without their boxes, keys without their remotes, contact lenses without the bottle of cleansing solution will not be banned. “Our airport security follows high international standards. The security checks are carried out in close cooperation with the airline companies’ personnel. There is also close cooperation of all parties involved including the General Directorate of Civil Aviation and the State Police” told reporters Arlinda ȡusholli, Communication Director at Tirana Airport Partners.
Since 23 April 2005 the overall responsibilities for development, operation and management of Tirana International Airport lies with Tirana Airport Partners SHPK (TAP), an Albanian company under German-American ownership.
Shareholders are HOCHTIEF AirPort, DEG Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft and the Albanian-American Enterprise Fund. Backed by the shareholders’ know-how regarding airport management and financing, Tirana Airport Partners has set itself the aim of expanding the airport and setting new standards in comfort and service. More than EUR 50 million will be invested until 2007. Construction works for a new passenger terminal, a new cargo terminal and a new access road are well underway.