Lufthansa resumes daily flights to Tirana

TIRANA, May.2 – Lufthansa, one of the world’s leading airlines, is resuming its operations at Tirana International Airport, after a break of 9 years. The first flight arrives at TIA from Munich on 2 May 2007 at 12:00 hours and departs 35 minutes later at 12:35 hours. The twice daily service is being operated with an 80 seat Canadair Jet CRJ900. It is being introduced to serve both Albanians living in Germany, returning on holidays to their home country, and in response to the developing business and tourism relations between the two countries. “We used to operate to and from Tirana a long time ago, but at that time with only four weekly flights. We are now coming back and introducing two flights daily. We have seen a growing interest from Albanians living in Germany to fly back to their home country, and we expect this new route will also facilitate business and tourism. We clearly see that the country is more stable now and the standards of safety and security are met at the new airport managed by the concessionary company,” said Lufthansa Vice President Sales & Services Europe, Dr. Karsten Benz.
Over the last two years, Tirana International Airport has seen rapid growth under the new management of TIA SHPK. Albania is a novel destination for tourists, and the airport, with its highly improved safety and security standards, is enticing carriers to use TIA in response to the increasing demands of travelers. With the building of the airport’s new terminal and new access road, along with the ancillary infrastructure, comfort and convenience have vastly improved.
“The arrival of one of the most experienced airlines in Europe, Lufthansa, shows clearly that TIA is going in the right direction. We are working on the marketing of the Airport in the international aviation market, while at the same time improving our facilities and services,” said TIA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Constantin von Alvensleben. Lufthansa ranks upfront among the world’s leading airlines, with 53.4 million passengers carried in 2006. The carrier has an 81-year history and currently serves 192 destinations in 78 countries. It is a founding member of the Star Alliance. Last year, British Airways landed for the first time at TIA, while Adria Airways re-introduced its service. The Airport has also attracted several low-cost carriers such as Germanwings and Belleair. The number of airlines currently operating at TIA is 14, while the number of direct destinations is 29.