Albania revokes license of Albanian Airlines

TIRANA, Nov. 13 – Albanian authorities on Friday revoked the operating license of Albanian Airlines due to the technical condition of its planes.
The Civil Aviation Authority also said it was cancelling the operation of a plane used by another private company, BelleAir, for the same reason.
In a statement, Albanian Airlines said the decision was unfair and that they would follow the “possible legal ways.”
The move was likely done following a request of the European Aviation Safety Agency, EASA, concerned about the company’s financial warranty for its planes.
The company has two weeks to convince EASA that its finances are in order before its flights are completely grounded.
There was no mention as to whether the airline’s problems were connected to the owner’s legal problems.
In June authorities froze about 3 million euros ($4.1 million) of the owner of Albanian Airlines on suspicion of money laundering related to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Evsen has denied wrongdoing.
Albanian Airlines considered the move as illegal, arguing that the company had met all the flight standards required by local and international authorities.
“Albanian Airlines has always conformed to EU rules and has cooperated in the auditing conducted by Albanian and international authorities,” the company said. “Blocking the company’s operation unjustly will ground its flights.”
Albanian Airlines is owned by the Evsen Group of Ali Evsen.
Albanian Airlines, in which Evsen bought 93 per cent of the shares in 2009, flies to 12 destinations from Tirana International Airport.