Suspension of Flight Companies

Belle Air is just the last case of Albania’s civil aviation history, when thousands of citizens who have bought tickets are left at the airport.

In 2006, a similar situation took place with the first low-cost company in Albania, “Albatros”. The company had its license removed by the Civil Aviation Directory, with the argument that there were unpaid obligations.

But it turned out that there were political reasons too. Top Channel recorded a phone conversation in which Gazmend Dibra, then Director of DAC, made open pressure to the directors, who wre relatives of former President Moisiu, to influence and discharge Prosecutor General Theodhori Sollaku.

Thousands of Albanian passengers were left in European airports for days. Ironically, authorities decided to resolve the stalemate by transferring the flights of this company to Belle Air, a company that had just entered the market.

After Albatros, next was Albanian Airlines, also suspended by Civil Aviation on November 2011. More than 3000 passengers kept wandering for days in European airports.

Even in this case, the company accused the authorities of favoring Belle Air, which kept increasing its market while competitors were being eliminated one after another. Belle Air has been the absolute dominator of flights in Albania.

Last year, the company had an annual turnout of 110 million EUR. But only one day ago they suspended all flights, leaving more than 50.000 passengers anxious, who had reserved flights until March, more than 4000 of them are supposed to fly in the next three days.

Top Channel