Albatros Airways

Albatros Airways was an Albanian low cost airline that was Earth-bound in September 2006.

History

Foundation

The airline was founded by three private investors from a family, one of which, Alexander Hoxha, had previously conducted for two and a half years the Tirana airport. Because of its political connections and family connections to the President of Albania, Alfred Moisiu, there was to it already from the beginning a lot of rumors of all kinds, on 3 November 2004, the Flying operations began. The airline quickly established itself in the market of low -cost carriers between Italy and Albania.

Withdrawal of license

The company's launch and landing rights were revoked for Tirana Airport on 1 September 2006. The Albanian authorities for civil aviation, said that the airline had more than half a million U.S. dollars in debt after no fees were paid to the Airport for months. The reasons for the grounding were, however, denied by the company. It has been speculated in public, so that political pressure on the president should be exercised so that dismissing a senior official from the prosecutor without notice. When the president repeatedly refused to issue the required Sali Berisha's government of dismissal, to have been implemented and Earth-bound Albatros Airways threats.

In the Albanian Parliament and the Albanian media the flight ban has long been an issue. Thus, for example with a hidden camera a conversation recorded in which the airport director Alexander Hoxha pointed out that the takeoff and landing rights would be granted immediately again when the president, who is Alexander Hoxha's uncle, pronounce the dismissal of the prosecutor Sallaku would. It was also clear from the conversation that the current Prime Minister Sali Berisha informed about the entire procedure and thus agreed. The airport director was forced to resign then. The political office accused each other of interference. The exact circumstances are still unclear months thereafter.

As the running cost of the aircraft were not covered for months on end, there was the airline then after several weeks of stagnation back. The end of the airline, which was named after the albatross was thus definitely sealed.

Destinations

Mainly cheap flights offered from Tirana to Italy.

Fleet

The machines of the type Fokker 100 were leased from Montenegro Airlines and its crew.