Albanian Airlines
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Predecessor | Arberia Airlines |
| Founded | May 1991 |
| Defunct | November 11, 2011 |
| Headquarters | Tirana , Albania |
Area served | International |
Key people | Yahia Farwati (President of Advanced Construction Group, owner) |
| Products | Scheduled international flights |
| Owner | Advanced Construction Group (ACG) Sh.p.k. |
Albanian Airlines MAK Sh.p.k, operating under the name Albanian Airlines, was an airline headquartered in Tirana, Albania. It provided scheduled international flights primarily from its central hub at Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza. On 11 November 2011, the airline's operating license was revoked by Albania's Civil Aviation Authority.
History
Founded in May 1991 as Arberia Airlines, the company initially flew Tupolev Tu-134 aircraft, serving as a private carrier for political figures during communist Albania. The airline rebranded to Albanian Airlines in May 1992 and began commercial operations on 20 June 1992. Established as a joint venture between the state-owned Albtransport and Austria’s Tyrolean Airways, it operated a single Austrian-registered De Havilland Canada Dash 8-102 aircraft, which was piloted and maintained by Canadian staff. Tyrolean Airways exited the partnership in 1997, taking back the Dash 8.
Privatisation
In 1997, Albanian Airlines transitioned to private ownership when it was acquired by the Kuwait-based M.A. Kharafi & Sons Group. The airline’s operations were then centered around a leased Airbus A320 sourced from Egypt’s Shorouk Air. By 2001, its fleet had expanded to include four Tupolev Tu-134 aircraft servicing routes linking Tirana with cities such as Bologna, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Pristina, Rome, and Zürich. Beginning in July 2001, the airline initiated a fleet modernization program by retiring the Tupolevs and introducing its first BAe 146, followed by two additional units in 2003 and 2004. This upgrade facilitated entry into key markets including Belgium and Germany.
Advanced Construction Group (ACG) Sh.p.k.
In August 2008, Advanced Construction Group (ACG) Sh.p.k., under the leadership of President Yahia Farwati based in Tirana, acquired full ownership of Albanian Airlines from Kuwait’s M.A. Kharafi & Sons Group.
On 14 August 2009, a majority stake of 93% was sold to Turkey’s Evsen Group, while ACG retained a minority share of 7%. However, in March 2012 a court ruling restored complete ownership (100%) back to ACG and Farwati.
Following this investment, Albanian Airlines underwent rebranding with a new logo and expanded its network alongside fleet growth. In 2009, the company added two leased Boeing 737s and one Boeing 757 acquired from Air Slovakia.
On 9 October 2009, the airline announced intentions to launch services to destinations including Paris, Amsterdam, Milan, Rome, Athens, Jeddah, Beijing, and eventually the United States. Despite plans to reduce ticket prices and incorporate additional Fokker 100s and Boeing 747s into the fleet, these ambitions were hindered by financial setbacks that led to repossession of leased aircraft from Air Slovakia.
Fleet
As of October 2011, Albanian Airlines operated a varied fleet with an average aircraft age of approximately 22.5 years:
| Aircraft | Quantity | Seating Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAe 146-100 | 1 | 73 | |
| BAe 146-200 | 1 | 92 | |
| BAe 146-300 | 2 | 92/98 | |
| Airbus A320-200 | 1 | 186 | |
| Boeing 737 | 2 | 126 | |
| Boeing 757 | 2 | 200 | |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-9 | 2 | 109 | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-80 | 1 | 155 | |
| Tupolev Tu-134 | 4 | 84 | |
| Yakovlev Yak-40 | 3 | 83 | |
| Boeing 747-400 | 1 | 413 | |
| Tupolev Tu-154 | 1 | 157 | |
| Fokker 50 | 1 | 75 | |
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8 | 1 | 37 | |
| 23 |
See also
External links
- Official website (no longer operational)