BY ILDA HOXHA
In June this year, during a ceremony at “Mother Teresa” airport of Tirana, Prime Minister Rama announced that low-cost airline Ryanair would begin flights in the fall. On 31st of October, the company initiated its first flights to 17 destinations, as confirmed by the Civil Aviation Authority. Tourism experts consider this development as positive because it contributes to encouraging competition, benefiting travelers, and promoting the growth of tourism.
Arta traveled on the 1st of November from Tirana’s airport to Rome and returned on November 3rd with tickets costing a total of EUR 30, using the second low-cost airline that started operations this fall in Albania.
Meanwhile, Andi, 29 years old, planned a direct flight from Tirana to Stockholm in mid-December with a cost of EUR 40, a round trip just when the second low-cost airline had started its operation.
On 8th of June, Prime Minister Edi Rama delivered a ceremonial speech Mother Teresa Airport premises announcing the beginning of the low-cost airline “Ryanair” operations in autumn.
“…..The presence of Ryanair with 18 destinations from Tirana throughout Europe shows that we have taken a significant step, which comes after a long effort to fundamentally change not only the image of Albania…” Rama said, among other things, in the presence of the company’s president, Michael O’Leary.
In 25th of October, Prime Minister Rama informed in Facebook:
Airline company Ryanair is set to start flights in Albania from 31st of October, following the signing of the agreement several months ago”.
Facebook post of Prime Minister Rama
On that day, we submitted a request for information to the Civil Aviation Authority to inquire about the flights and destinations.
The information request sent to Civil Aviation
In the official response returned on 26th of September, the Civil Aviation Authority announced that ‘Ryanair’ will commence flights on October 31, with 17 destinations including: London Stansted; Manchester; Edinburgh; Brussels Charleroi; Prague; Paris Beauvais; Rome Ciampino; Weeze Germany; Bergamo; Catania; Pisa; Bologna; Treviso; Krakow; Warsaw Modlin; Bucharest; Stockholm.
Ryanair’s first flight from Mother Teresa Airport was on 31st of October, heading to Rome.
During an online search on the official website of “Ryanair” in November, it was observed that a significant portion of tickets to the main destinations had been booked, indicating that there were only a few seats left for specific flights. Prices vary depending on the destinations and dates.
For instance, on 26 of November, we checked ticket prices for November 23-27 and prices ranged from EUR 17 to 43 for Tirana – London.
Prices for Tirana-London flight, November 2023
The high interest in low-cost tickets for destinations in Europe was confirmed by Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary in a television interview , on October 26th.
“70% of the seats for November have been sold so far. About 70% of them are tourists coming to Tirana. “There is a high demand.
We will give people the opportunity to travel for 15 euros. You can travel from Tirana to Brussels for EUR 15. You can travel to Roma with EUR 15”- he emphasises.
From an online check on Monday, November 6th, we managed to find a ticket for EUR 15 for Tirana-London Stansted on December 11th.
Also, in December, there were tickets at this price for destinations like Tirana-Bologna.
Tickets for the end of year holiday season range from EUR 14.99 for a one-way journey, but can also go over EUR 100, especially for destinations towards Italy.
The second low-cost airline in Albania stimulates competition, to the advantage of the citizens
Head of Tour Operators, Besnik Vathi, told Faktoje about what is expected to be brought to the Albanian market with the entry of a second low-cost airline into our country.
“The entry of only one low-cost airline, the immediate expansion of that company, suggests that this was an unexplored and delayed market to enter.
Competition will increase even in the low-cost segment. There will also be lower prices because, by entering the same destinations, they will not be able to maintain higher prices anymore.
They will start competing with each other, benefiting the client, both Albanian tourists traveling abroad and foreign tourists coming to Albania. They will definitely impact the increase in air traffic, translating into a further boost to tourism growth in Albania and for Albanians abroad as well,” Vathi argued.
