Albatros Airways
| Albatros Airways | |
|---|---|
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| IATA code : | 4H |
| ICAO code : | LBW |
| Call sign : | ALBANWAYS |
| Founding: | 2004 |
| Operation stopped: | 2006 |
| Seat: |
Tirana , Albania
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| Home airport : | Tirana Airport |
| Fleet size: | 0 |
| Aims: | International |
| Albatros Airways ceased operations in 2006. The information in italics refer to the last status before the end of operation. | |
Albatros Airways was an Albanian low-cost airline based in Tirana . It was grounded in September 2006 .
history
founding
The airline was founded by three private investors from a family, one of whom, Alexander Hoxha, had previously managed Tirana Airport for two and a half years . Due to its political connections and family connections to the President of Albania, Alfred Moisiu , there were many rumors of all kinds about the company from the start. On November 3, 2004, flight operations began. The airline quickly established itself in the low-cost airline market between Italy and Albania.
License withdrawal
On September 1, 2006, the company's take-off and landing rights for Tirana Airport were revoked. The Albanian civil aviation authorities said the airline owed more than half a million US dollars after months of not paying fees to the airport. The reasons for the grounding, however, were denied by the company. It was speculated in public that this was intended to exert political pressure on the president to have a high-ranking official from the prosecutor's office dismissed without notice. When the President repeatedly refused to pronounce the dismissal requested by Sali Berisha's government, the threats are said to have been implemented and Albatros Airways to have been grounded.
The flight ban has long been an issue in the Albanian parliament and the Albanian media. For example, a conversation was recorded with a hidden camera in which the airport director Alexander Hoxha pointed out that take-off and landing rights would be granted again immediately if the president, who is Alexander Hoxha's uncle, pronounced the dismissal of public prosecutor Sallaku . It also became clear from the conversation that the current Prime Minister Sali Berisha had been informed about the entire procedure and was in agreement with it. The airport director then had to resign. The political offices accused each other of meddling. Months later, the exact circumstances are still unclear.
Since the running costs for the aircraft were not covered for months, the airline gave it back after several weeks of standstill. The end of the airline, which was named after the albatrosses , was definitely sealed.
Destinations
Mainly cheap flights from Tirana to Italy were offered.
fleet
The aircraft of the type Fokker 100 were leased by Montenegro Airlines and their crew .
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Albatros Airways. In: udheto.com. Archived from the original on November 26, 2009 ; accessed on March 20, 2017 (English).