Turkish Airlines announced it will begin operating flights from Tirana to several destinations in Turkey following its decision to sell its 49% stake in Air Albania, which had previously been the main operator on routes between Albania and Turkey. The new services will start on January 23 and will connect Tirana with Istanbul, Antalya, Nevsehir, Izmir and Gaziantep, the airline said in a statement.
The move comes after Turkish Airlines confirmed last month that it was exiting Air Albania, amid local media reports that the Albanian carrier was facing bankruptcy.
Earlier this month, Albania’s Civil Aviation Authority suspended Air Albania’s operating license, citing non-compliance with civil aviation laws and regulatory requirements.
Air Albania was founded in May 2018 as a public-private partnership between Albania and Turkey. Turkish Airlines held a 49.12% stake, while the remaining shares were owned by the Albanian state-owned company Albcontrol (around 10%) and private firm MDN Investment (around 41%). Despite strong government backing and ambitious expansion plans—including short-lived routes to Italy and the UK, and publicly discussed plans for direct flights to the United States—the airline’s operations have now been brought to a halt.
