“The first long-haul transatlantic flights from Tirana airport have begun,” is the headline of several Greek media outlets in recent hours.
The launch of the first direct flights between Tirana and Toronto has become the subject of extensive commentary in travel magazines, tourist portals and economic media that present this development as an important achievement for Albania, while simultaneously raising the question of why Thessaloniki does not yet have a direct transatlantic line.
In their analyses and comments, Greek media recall that in 2016 Thessaloniki airport had around 6 million passengers, while Tirana’s had only 2.2 million. Today, the situation has been reversed. Thanks to an aggressive policy to attract airlines with competitive fares and marketing, Tirana reached 11.6 million passengers in 2025, while Thessaloniki airport remained below 8 million. Sofia and Skopje airports have also recorded similar growth, Top Channel correspondent Aleksandër Marku reports.
In Greece, part of the debate is also related to the policy of the German company Fraport, administrator of Thessaloniki airport as well as 13 other airports in the country, which has stated that the city’s market is not yet considered ready for long-haul transatlantic flights.
A few weeks ago, the airline Ryanair accused Fraport of increasing airport fees and announced the closure of its base in Thessaloniki during the winter of 2026, shifting capacity to countries like Albania, where, according to the company, conditions are more competitive.
Analysts and commentators in Greece also point out that the country’s aviation policy continues to be largely centered on Athens, with the capital’s Eleftherios Venizelos Airport remaining the main gateway for intercontinental flights and continuing to break tourism records.
But according to them, Tirana’s development shows that even a smaller market can attract new international routes when it pursues an active strategy for aviation and tourism./Top Channel