11 minutes agoKosovars keep Kukes Airport alive
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)Rifat Gashi from Kosovo's Suhareka cut the plane's ticket at the last moment. He had not planned to travel this summer to Switzerland, where his children have lived for years, but did not resist their wishes. This time, Gashi and his wife and children are traveling for [...]
This time, Gashi and his wife and children are traveling for the first time through Kukes Airport.
“I have cut the 400-euro ticket to Basel, as I cut in the last few moments,” says the man, while other family members expressed satisfaction “with the” price.
Kukes airport aims to offer low-cost flights to passengers from Albania and Kosovo towards Switzerland and Germany, two countries with a large Albanian-speaking diaspora originating from both sides of the border that separates Albanians into two states in the Balkans.
After a period of crisis in winter months, Kukes airport seems to be recovering activity this summer, largely thanks to travellers from Kosovo.
The border and Migration Directorate in Kukes told BIRN that between 1 May and 31 July, the number of entrances from this airport is 10 390; among which 1238 Albanian citizens and 9152 foreign citizens.
However, 83 percent of those classified as foreign citizens are citizens of Kosovo or part of its diaspora in Germany, Switzerland or Austria.
Even the number of exits from this airport are in rough quotas; with 1331 Albanian citizens and 7496 foreign citizens, mainly from Kosovo, the Border Directorate said in a written response.
Kukes Airport was built in the 2000s through a 30 million US donation by the prince of the United Arab Emirates and despite campaign promises, remained for more than a decade closed because Rinas' concessional contracts did not allow other airports in the country.
At the end of 2018, the government estimated that Kukes' airport needed additional investment and decided on concession for 35 years to companies “Global Technical Mechanics” sh.p.k., connected to group “Kastrati”.
The airport officially opened on July 9th 2021, and this tourist season offers four flights a day. It operates the Air Albania and Wizz Air companies with destinations in Basel Mulhouse, Vienna, Munich and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden.
Even the airport's marketing chief, Jessica Pecho, told BIRN that even during 2021, 80 percent of the passengers were from Kosovo.
This percentage is projected in the future, so we are oriented towards those lines most passengers flying from Kosovo,” stressed Peco.
Shezeden Misini from the village of Zgatar of the Dragas municipality in Kosovo is located at the terminal awaiting his brother-in-law from Vienna. He says competition at awards and proximity to home has prompted many diaspora members to fly from Kukes.
“E we're close, for 40 or 50 minutes from our house. It is cheaper and faster than the Pristina or Skopje airport,” said Misini.
The airport has also come to the aid of Albanian citizens from the country's north, though in a lower number.
After visiting her husband in Stuttgart, Germany, Arjeta Bardula and her two children traveled to Kukes from Basel. The woman is from Bishop and is waiting for the car to return home.
The trip from Basil to Kukes was very comfortable and at prices of 49 euros per person. If I traveled from Stuttgart I would pay 200 euros per person,” Bardula said.
In addition to the “Zayed North Flarate” in Kukes, the government “Rama” has advanced plans to build Vlora Airport, and has promised another airport in Saranda, but opposition representatives call this an unstable model due to work only during the summer months.
