ALBANIAN AIRLINES ACQUIRES BAe 146-300 FROM BAE SYSTEMS

Hatfield, Hertfordshire…..Albanian Airlines has bought and taken delivery of a BAe 146-300 regional jetliner from BAE Systems.

The aircraft, configured in a comfortable six-abreast, 98-seat all-economy class layout, joins two other BAe 146s (one Series 200 and one Series 300) that are used by the airline. This third aircraft has been acquired to increase frequencies on existing routes from the capital Tirana and for route expansion.

Current flight schedules have a strong focus on serving northern Italian cities such as Bergamo, Bologna, Milan, Pisa and Turin where there is a sizeable ethnic Albanian population. New services to Verona are due to start in early July.

The airline also uses its BAe 146s for an extensive charter programme with regular flights to destinations in Egypt, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey.

Albanian Airlines was acquired in August 2009 by the Turkish Evsen Group, and has been restructured and put on a better foundation for future growth.