CORRECTED - Wizz Air boosts by 50% [NOT to almost double] Tirana flight seats [NOT airport traffic] in 2024

In the first paragraph, please read: “Wizz Air is increasing by 50% to 7.5 million the number of seats offered on flights from and to Tirana in 2024, a senior company official said”, instead of: “Wizz Air expects to carry 8 million passengers from and to Tirana airport in 2024, which will represent an almost double increase from 4.6 million passengers transported last year, a senior company official said.”

A corrected version follows:

Wizz Air is increasing by 50% to 7.5 million the number of seats offered on flights from and to Tirana in 2024, a senior company official said.

The company plans to add a new aircraft to its Albanian fleet, taking the total number to 13 aircraft and making Tirana one of its largest bases, Diarmuid O’Conghaile, managing director of Wizz Air Malta, which operates the company's Albanian fleet, said in an anniversary ceremony on Monday.

The Hungarian low-cost carrier established its Tirana base in July 2020, with 15 destinations, it said at the time. Today, Wizz Air connects the Albanian capital to 54 destinations in 16 countries.

The growth has been driven by increasing inbound traffic to Albania in recent years, O’Conghaile added.

The Tirana base now employs 450 people, mostly Albanian nationals. Wizz Air is looking to train young Albanian people to also become part of the flight crew, first as officers and then as captains.

Wizz Air served 59% of all passengers at Tirana airport last year, according to data from the Tirana airport operator.