New airport terminal

TIRANA, March.21 – Albania has a new gateway to the world. The new passenger terminal at Tirana International Airport, in which HOCHTIEF AirPort has a 47 percent stake, was officially opened Wednesday in the presence of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and 600 invited guests. The bright and airy glazed building forms the core of a comprehensive modernization program representing an investment of around 50 million euro. This design masterpiece, prepared by Malaysian architect Hin Tan, will house eight souvenir and duty-free shops, bars, restaurants and cafes. There will be a restaurant both in departures and arrivals, while just outside the terminal a covered piazza-style bar with traditional Albanian stone fa袤e will offer a very pleasant and relaxing view of the building and its surrounds. The new terminal building satisfies the most sophisticated of demands.
Since April 2005, a private consortium, comprising HOCHTIEF AirPort, DEG Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (31.7 percent) and the Albanian-American Enterprise Fund (21.3 percent), has been operating and expanding Tirana International Airport, which serves Albania’s capital city.
In his speech the prime Minister greeted this development, saying that “The terminal makes Albania more beautiful and a more hospitable gate to the world.” He expressed his gratitude to the team of experts engaged in the building process. Berisha commented o n the scenic positioning of the airport that will attract more people into the country.
The privatization, in the form of a 20-year concession, is unique in the Balkans. “It is a fine example of how even small airports can be run with great commercial success”, says Reinhard Kalenda, CEO of HOCHTIEF AirPort and Chairman of Tirana International Airport SHPK. In this respect, he adds, Tirana could serve as a role model for other airports of a similar size.
He said that ” Since the airport was transferred to private management, customer-orientation has been the chief priority. The welfare and well-being of our passengers is at the heart of all our efforts and we are working constantly to extend and improve what we offer. In this, we pay special attention to something which – given today’s very stringent requirements – is all the better, the less obvious it is: safety. The new airport operates with sophisticated safety technology in line with international standards and it conforms strictly with all necessary safety precautions. All the aviation rules and stipulations of the European Union are implemented promptly and systematically.”
Kalenda commented on the good relationship that the company has developed with the community of Rinas and expressed his determination to go on assisting the education program that Tap has started. On March 22, the terminal hosted a party of 250 children celebrating the event of the first flight.
Kalenda also gave the news that the German airline Lufthansa announced that it considering the possibility of conducting two direct flights a day from Munich to Tirana
In its very first year under private management, Tirana International Airport posted a positive result despite ongoing investment and thus made a notable contribution to HOCHTIEF AirPort’s earnings. In 2006, the airport registered passenger growth of 15.5 percent, well above the European average of just under six percent.
Capacity: 1-1.5 million passengers annually (expandable)
Investment value: 50 million euro