Tirana International Airport new records for 2006

TIRANA, Feb 12 – International Airport (TIA) sets new record as far as passenger and cargo traffic is concerned. During 2006 TIA has hosted 906,103 passengers, an annual 15 percent rise and has a record of 7,925 air movements, a rise of 2.5 percent and a cargo traffic almost 2,110 tons, 4.4 percent higher than the previous year. The best month has been by far August with130,351 passengers flying through and 848 flights in total.
The company attributed the higher figures to better management, active marketing strategies and better services focused on customer care. The General director of TIA, Constantin von Alvensleben said in a press release that “it has been a great year for TIA and it is amazing to see how the airport is being developed gradually.
From air companies data, AlItalia has had the highest share of passengers with 20 percent followed by Albanian Airlines with 18 percent, Belle Air with 14 percent, Austrian with 11 percent and Malev with 8 percent. AlItalia has naturally the highest figures given the use of its Roam and Milan airports as transit points towards USA and Canada. BelleAir, the low-cost airline has also had good results this year. It offers extensive coverage of destination in Italy as well as flight to Istanbul and London. Sixteen air companies have used TIUA to fly to almost 30 different destinations, with the most popular ranging definitely in the neighboring countries like Italy and Greece but also Austria and Turkey. TIA has 200 employees, the airport staff of the companies reaches 560 people.
During 2006, British Airways, Germanwings, Belle Air and My Air started their services for the first time in Albania. Adria Airways restarted flights and Albanian Airlines and Belle Air offered new destinations. By the end of the year, British Airways made flights to London quite frequent. TIA is now directly connected also to seven new destinations in Italy as well as London and Ljubjana.
Albaniaճ first and only superstore was opened in a shopping centre in Durres in spring 2005. The Euromax shop trades from 4 000 m2, offering a choice of 14 000 products.