TIA records 23% growth in H1

TIRANA, Aug. 1 – Favoured by the visa-liberalization regime in force since mid-December 2010, performance in the Tirana International Airport (TIA) continued in the first half of 2011. TIA data show passenger numbers increased by 23 per cent, air traffic movements (ATMs) by 10.6 per cent, and cargo by 17.7 per cent, in comparison with the same period last year. Between January and the end of June, TIA served 793,984 passengers, an outstanding figure that highlights the high standards of service offered by the Airport. TIA also recorded 10,352 ATMs and handled 1,084 tons of cargo.
“This year has come with really important developments for the Airport, which is one of the most important gates to Tirana and for the country as a whole. Visa liberalization has brought noticeable change to our company: there is significant growth in domestic demand, which has brought with it better and extended services offered by the airlines,” said Mr Rolf Castro-Vasquez, Chief Operation Officer of TIA.
The airlines carrying most passengers to and from Tirana are Belleair (46.2%), Alitalia (9.6%), Albanian Airlines (9.1%), Austrian Airlines (6.1%) and Turkish Airlines (4.2%). Currently, fourteen airlines fly in to and out of TIA, connecting directly the Albanian capital city with 35 destinations, including Brussels, Barcelona and Paris, inaugurated this year for the summer season.
The Airport has become more and more attractive to airlines whose decision to approach TIA is based on its remarkable passenger growth recorded over the last couple of years. In June, TIA welcomed Jetair, a well known low-cost airline, which operates between TIA and Brussels with a twice weekly service.
Since April 2005, the airport has been managed by TIA, a consortium owned by HOCHTIEF AirPort GmbH (HTA), one of the leading private airport investors in the world, which won a 20-year concession to be in charge of the airport’s activities.