Intro

Rinas Airport, called today Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza, was constructed over a period of two years, from 1955 to 1957.

Early days

Until 1960, the airlines that operated into Albania were Aeroflot, Jat, Malev, Tarom and Interflug, with not more than two flights a day.

Over the period 1965 to 1974, improvements were made to the facilities at the airport.

1978 - 2003

In 1978, some airlines ceased operations to Albania due to the political isolation of the country following the severing of ties with the Soviet Union, resulting in a decrease in passenger numbers and flights.

Between 1980 and 1990, due to the technological developments in the field of civil aviation worldwide, Albania undertook improvements in its airport facilities in order to meet international requirements.

As a result of the political changes that took place in Eastern Europe in 1989 and 1990, contacts between the Albanian government and foreign countries began to improve.

Due to the political and social transformations that took place in Albania between 1992 and 2000, the number of airlines operating into Rinas increased and passenger numbers began to grow.

TIA is founded

Facing the need for further development of the airport, in 2003 the Council of Ministers decided to tender for international investors to construct a new terminal and other facilities, as well as run the operations, at the airport. The tender was closed in 2004 with the signing of the Concession Agreement for Tirana International Airport and on April 23rd, 2005, Tirana International Airport SHPK (TIA, a consortium comprising HOCHTIEF AirPort, DEG Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft and the Albanian-American Enterprise Fund) started operations at the airport now known as Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza.

In 2005, the airport handled about 600,000 passengers. In 2019, TIA handled a record number of 3,33 million poassengers. Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, in 2020, the traffic was reduced to ca. 1.3 million passengers but a recovery of the traffic volume is expected for 2021. Since 2005, more than EUR 70 million have been invested in developing and expanding the Airport.

On 1 April 2016, the Government of Albania and TIA signed an amendment to the Concession Agreement of TIA and took a major step towards the development of air transport and the liberalization of international flights in Albania. The Concession Period of TIA was extended by two years, i.e. until April 2027, in exchange for allowing the development of a further airport in Vlora in the future.

On October 6, 2016 China Everbright Limited (CEL stock exchange code: 165.HK), an international investment and asset management company based in Hong Kong, acquired 100% of TIA's share capital.

Today

As of December 18, 2020 Kastrati Group SHA, a leading independent company based in Albania, established in 1990, owns 100% of the share capital of Tirana International Airport. Through its broad domestic and international activities and itsnetwork, Kastrati Group SHA is well positioned in Albania and worldwide.