TIRANA, May 24 – The Kukes airport in northeastern Albania will need investment of €2.5 million to make it operational for international flights after a deal reached with the country’s sole international airport over its exclusive rights. The United Arab Emirates-funded airport has been ready for use since 2007 but its operation has been halted by exclusive rights on international flights held by TIA, the consortium managing the Tirana Airport.
Transport Minister Edmond Haxhinasto says the new airport will also have an economic and social impact on the northeastern Kukes region, one of the country’s poorest and heavily affected by an asylum exodus last year, where 250 jobs are expected to open.
“Calculations show €2.5 million of investment is needed to make the airport operational. Equipment that has been in conservation for years needs to pass technical control tests. We don’t rule out the possibility of establishing a state-run enterprise to manage the Kukes airport,” said Haxhinasto during a visit to the airport.
The government is also planning to link the airport to the Durres-Kukes highway.
Last April, the exclusive rights that the country’s sole international airport has been holding on international flights for a decade were finally lifted, paving the way for the operation of new airports that would increase competition and reduce current ticket prices, estimated among the region’s highest.
The deal is expected to activate the new United Arab Emirates-funded Kukes airport in north-eastern Albania and the construction of two new airports in southern Albania serving the tourism industry.
The long-awaited agreement came after two years of intensive negotiations with the Tirana International Airport concessionaire, which will benefit a 2-year extension of its original 20-year build-operate-transfer concession contract for the opening of the new Kukes airport and half a year for each of the expected new Vlora and Saranda airports.
The newly expected operation of the Kukes airport near the Kosovo border will extend TIA’s concession contract until April 2027. Experts say that while the Kukes airport could reduce ticket prices, its location in northeastern Albania 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.
Hungarian low cost carrier Wizz Air which operates in several regional countries has also reportedly expressed interest to operate in the Kukes airport.
