From Tirana to the world- Why do the citizens of Montenegro choose an airport, Mother Teresa?

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Nearly all advertising of tourist agencies in Podgorica, Tirana is inevitable.

It is not, simply, an intermediate station from Podgorica to Sicily, but an airport from which Montenegro's citizens move increasingly towards the world.

Pierrevitorio Farabi, operational director of the airport “Mother Teresa” in Tirana, tells Radio Free Europe that, last year, some 53 thousand passengers from Montenegro have flown by plane from this airport, while by April 20 thousand.

He says this airport has had the largest circulation in the region in the first quarter of this year. Nearly 1.6 million passengers have traveled from it until April of this year what is the record among neighboring countries.

Mother Teresa “Airport is about 140km from Podgorica, and between these two destinations it takes about three hours to drive.

Border crossing Albania Montenegro. Photo 2021.

Travelers From Montenegro

Montenegro has two airports in Podgorica and Tivat. But, insufficient number of flights, poor choice of destinations, and expensive tickets are the reasons why citizens say they choose neighbouring country's airport.

One of them, Nicolaus, has just returned from Sicily, which says he visited for the first time:

“A round-till Tirana ticket - Catania costs less than 20 euros... There are some minor concessions, but nothing terrible. You'll be right where you thought you were”

“From Podgorica and Tivat you can fly to just some destinations, but choose from Tirana wherever you want from”, he says.

Bojan from Podgorica usually flies four times a year, always from Tirana.

“Arsyet are simple. Free flights and a major selection of destinations. Even with transportation costs, even leaving a car in parking lot next to the airport, it is noticeably cheaper. Montenegro's selection of destinations is so small that it is not attractive at all”, he says.

What's the situation at the airports in Montenegro?
For a year and a half, cheaply priced companies Ryanair and Wizzair have flown from Podgorica to several European destinations.

But when the airport in Podgorica increased the price of a taxi in 2022, they canceled flights to Barcelona, Bologna, Zagreb, Manchester, Vienna, Rome...

At the same time, Montenegro's government has said such an annulment of flights is the usual “business of these companies in the region and, at large,”.

Since May, several lines have been restored. By May 17th, however, there have been only about 30 opening flights and as many exit flights from Podgorica and Tivat airports.

Tirana, on the other hand, has more than 120 incoming flights and 120 exits every day.

In the past three years, Wizzair has invested more than 1.3 billion euros in the Albanian aviation industry, said company director Jozsef Varadi.

Due to the largest effort in Tirana, this company has employed around 500 crew members.

About three hours to Tirana airport

Nikola says that driving from Podgorica to Tirana takes about three hours to get there.

I always go with my car. There is a number of private parking lots around the airport, which are cheaper at around five euros a day, he says.

Experiences are positive, he adds.

If you do not seek Swiss professionalism in the Balkans, or smiling stewardesses in a company at lower prices, you will be satisfied”, Nicola says.

Jovan from Tivar, who has flown several times from Tirana, has less good impression.

The flight offer is certainly attractive, but everything else keeps me back. Crowds, road infrastructure, going to the airport, starting from the airport... is a real hell of”, he says.

For those who do not have a car or do not want to drive to Tirana, there are companies that organise transportation.

The director of one of them, Andrija Rogosic, tells Radio Free Europe that the idea of company creation was taken when he read that circulation at Tirana airport has increased by 116 percent compared to the period before the start of COVID-19.

Besides, we have our people living abroad. Although it is three hours away from Podgorica by flight, it takes up to 12 hours to reach home because of poor air connections with Montenegro. I have come up with the idea of building a tour between Tirana and Podgorica”, Rogosic says.

Our company's “The driver takes the passengers to his home address and transports them to the airport. The price for this service is 30 euros”, he relates.

Agencys from Montenegro Problem With Flight Lack

Tirana airport advantage is used by almost all tourist agencies in Montenegro offering arrangements for European and other destinations.

“Some arrangements include flying from Podgorica Airport, but the overwhelming majority are from Tirana. There's a bigger and cheaper selection. We organise bus transport to get there”, says the representative of a travel agency from Podgorica.

Unlike it, a tourist agency leading tourists from Europe and the Middle East to Montenegro does not think to include flights from Tirana in its bid.

Our travels are mostly connected to the coast and/or northern Montenegro. In practice, that means driving in one direction lasts up to five hours and we don't offer this to customers who come on vacation for several days”, Free Europe Director Ivan Durvisic, of the agency, tells Radio.

He adds that the agency adapts to existing flights from and towards Montenegro.

The weak flight offer limits our work. Despite that, we do the best we can with the two airports we have”, says Durvik.

Although for some, the number of flights is insufficient, the airport in Podgorica has had about 370 thousand passengers so far this year, meaning 45 percent more compared to the same period in 2019. / REL/