Albawings
| |||||||
| Founded | February 2015 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | September 2016 | ||||||
| Ceased operations | January 12, 2024 | ||||||
| Fleet size | 1 | ||||||
| Destinations | 7 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Tirana, Albania | ||||||
| Key people |
| ||||||
| Employees | 72 | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
Albawings was an Albanian low-cost airline headquartered in Tirana and based at Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza.
History
Albawings was founded in February 2015.[1] AThe air carrier was awarded the Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) by the Albanian Civil Aviation Authority on 4 February 2016.[2][3] The first aircraft of the company was a Boeing 737-500, with which Albawings started operations, was christened "Spirit of Tirana".[4]
On 11 December 2016, a second aircraft was delivered by rock band frontman Bruce Dickinson. The leased plane was a Boeing 737-400 owned by Cardiff Aviation, and was christened Mr. Pitkin after Sir Norman Wisdom's character Norman Piktin. Wisdom was a notably popular actor in Albania during the communist years of Enver Hoxha, when the character was commonly referred to as "Mr. Pitkin" by Albanian audiences.[5]
On 12 January 2024, Albawings stopped flying and ceased operations due to strong competition from other carriers.[6][7][8]
Fleet
As of August 2025, Albawings operates the following aircraft:[9]
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y | Total | ||||
| Boeing 737-400 | 1 | 188 | 188 | |||
| Total | 1 | |||||
| Aircraft | total | Introduced | Retired | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-500 | 1 | 2016 | 2020 | stored in a hangar |
| Boeing 737-400 | 3 | 2016 | 2017 | leased from VVB Aviation Malta |
References
- ^ "About - Albawings". Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
- ^ "Start-up Albawings takes delivery of first B737 aircraft". Retrieved 21 February 2017.
- ^ "Newcomer Albawings takes delivery of its first aircraft". Airliners Photostream. Archived from the original on 2016-10-14. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
- ^ Italiavola (7 March 2016). "Albawings.com, il Boeing 737/500 Spirit of Tirana". Retrieved 21 February 2017.
- ^ Pyke, Chris (12 December 2016). "Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson flies the Sir Norman Wisdom to Albania".
- ^ "Albawings 1Q24 Network Temporary Changes".
- ^ "These 17 Airlines Shut Down Operations In 2024". www.gatechecked.com. 2024-12-19. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
- ^ Aviacionline. "Around 20 airlines ceased operations in 2024". Aviacionline | Aviacionline es el sitio de aviación en español más leído del mundo. Presenta noticias de aerolíneas, aviones, aeropuertos, y demás. (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-04-14.
- ^ "Global Airline Guide 2025 - Albawings". Airliner World: 50. September 2025.
External links
Media related to Albawings at Wikimedia Commons