Air Albania's future cloudy as licence suspended

Albania's struggling national airline has been grounded since early December, according to documents seen by AFP, with the carrier's future under a cloud after aviation authorities suspended its licence.

Air Albania, which was still selling tickets on its website on Monday afternoon, has not publicly commented on the suspension, but local media reported that it has been routinely cancelling flights since the country's Civil Aviation Authority suspended its operating licence earlier this month.

Albania's flag carrier and the Civil Aviation Authority did not respond to questions, but a document issued by the authority, seen by AFP, noted the suspension.

No reason was given for the move.

But it follows Turkish Airlines' decision to sell its 49 percent stake in the company, ending a partnership that had been in place since the company opened in 2018.

Air Albania, a public-private partnership, has routes to more than a dozen destinations in Europe, including Geneva, Istanbul, and Vienna.