Air Slovakia To Lease out Five Aircraft to Albanian Airlines

"Air Slovakia will assist Albanian Airlines to develop its operational capabilities in its efforts to operate scheduled services and become the leading airline of the region," the Bratislava-based airline said in a statement on its website.

The five aircraft will be provided on an ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) basis, the company added without elaborating what type of aircraft it will lease out to Albanian Airlines.

Air Slovakia (www.airslovakia.sk), set up 14 years ago, provides ACMI leasing and ad-hoc charters and capacity to tour operators in the outgoing holiday market of Slovakia.

Albanian Airlines (www.albanianair.com), set up in 1992, had an 8.9% market share in Albania in the nine months through September, ranking the third-largest carrier in the country. It now flies to Italy, Turkey, the UK and Germany.

The company is 93%-owned by Azerbaijan-based Evsen Group (www.evsengroup.az) following an acquisition deal in August. It can serve over 200,000 passengers a year and perform 3,000 scheduled flights.

Albanian Airlines plans to launch soon new destinations to Paris, Amsterdam, Milan, Rome, Athens, Jedahh, Beijing, and later to the U.S.

Thirteen airlines fly to and from Albania's sole international airport located in Tirana, linking the capital city with 32 destinations.