FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Air Albania has suspended operations 7 years after its founding. The Albanian flag carrier, initiated by Prime Minister Edi Rama, appears to be heading towards bankruptcy, although this has not yet been announced, due to financial problems. The news is making the rounds around the world, especially in specialized media when it comes to air travel.
Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Albania, has used Air Albania, in the context of propaganda, but not only, as for a not-so-short period, he presented achievements, even naming the planes that departed with Lasgush to continue with Naim, and so on.
Rama would not hesitate to declare that with 'Air Albania' a dream that seemed impossible has been fulfilled.
" We fulfill a dream that seemed impossible, but which came true. The airline of the red and black flag 'Air Albania'."
"It is a dream that today takes wings to begin a long-standing dream. 'Air Albania' is a national work ," Rama declared.
Today, after 7 years, there is no reaction from Prime Minister Edi Rama.
According to aviation24.be , Albania's national airline, Air Albania, has suspended all flights since December 7, following the decision of its main shareholder, Turkish Airlines, to sell its 49% stake in the airline.
" The sudden stop has left passengers stranded and raised concerns amid a wider wave of airline failures linked to global economic pressures. However, despite the operational shutdown, Air Albania has not filed for bankruptcy and the situation is currently linked to shareholder restructuring rather than a formal bankruptcy process ," writes the portal in question, specializing in the field of aviation.
Meanwhile, another portal, aerospaceglobalnews, writes that last month, it came to light that Turkish Airlines was seeking to sell its shares in Air Albania, the problematic company.
“ 49% owned by the Turkish carrier, the public-private joint venture with the Albanian government and MDN Investment aimed to provide the country with vital air connectivity through a national airline.
In early December, the airline operated its last flight. Just a few days ago, the airline’s operating license was revoked, meaning that there are now no passenger airlines registered with the Albanian Civil Aviation Authority. All air connectivity to the country will now come exclusively from foreign carriers ,” the article states.
Given the current situation, aerospaceglobalnews writes that the competitive landscape in Albania is also challenging, emphasizing that Air Albania's size, coupled with the entry of low-cost rivals, makes the operation particularly difficult.
Citing government sources, the portal reports that the airline's operating license was revoked "for non-compliance with civil aviation standards."
The carrier is said to be in “deep financial crisis,” further exacerbated by the withdrawal of Turkish Airlines. The revocation of its operating license was the final straw.
Air Albania was the country's national airline, aiming to fill the void created after the bankruptcy of Albanian Airlines in 2011.
Albania's Prime Minister, Edi Rama, unveiled the new airline in 2018 in collaboration with Turkish Airlines, which owned 49%.
MDN Investment SHPK held 41%, while the Albanian government owned the remaining 10% through Albcontrol, which oversees the country's airspace. Air Albania's flights began with an Airbus A319 leased from Turkish Airlines and the network was later expanded.
However, it had many difficulties. It adopted a new strategy in early 2025 that included additional aircraft and new destinations, including Brussels and Vienna for example. Ultimately, its growth plans were not enough to ensure its success.
Its last flight was on December 2 from Istanbul to Tirana with an Airbus A321 registered LZ-FSH leased from Fly 2 Sky. Turkish Airlines is expected to open a new service to Tirana to fill the gap ,” the article continues.
The airline industry in Albania has struggled over the past two decades, even before the arrival of low-cost competition.
The country has attempted, on several occasions, to successfully operate its own national airline. However, none of these attempts have been successful. Air Albania is the most recent example and comes after the bankruptcy of many Albanian airlines in the past, as listed below.
Cdo gje qe ka thene apo bere rama ka qene nje show apo deshtim. Bashke me veliajn dhe ballukun etj jane brezi dhe qeverisja me e korruptuar
Me mashtrues ordiner si Sinan Idrizi dhe turku Sinan Isik vetem faliment ka. Nuk ecen para ky vend me keta lloj hijenash ordinera qe edhe shoket e tyre i groposen me borxhe. Turp
Air Palloshi me sekserin Idrizi nuk mund te perfundonte ndryshe. Skeme e vendosur ne tavoline. Tani palloshi do blej kuotat dhe do ti japi disa miliona sinan mashtruesit per stresin e krijuar nga mediat dhe do ta rihapi skemen pa borxhe ne vlore me emer tjeter.