A lawsuit filed by the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation, Eurocontrol, against the company Air Albania sh.p.k., filed in October 2024 with the Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction, Tirana, for settlement of liabilities incurred in 2023 and 2024 in the total amount of around Euro 1.2 million, has set in motion this airline, where the Albanian state owns 10% of the quotas, to settle the debts.

Eurocontrol is an international organization with independent legal personality headquartered in Brussels, established under the International Convention of Eurocontrol and collects fees from operators providing air navigation services in member states, for the use of air corridors and terminals.

In the lawsuit that BIRN has seen, Eurocontrol has submitted that Air Albania has carried out international transports since August 2023, for which it has been regularly charged. However, it has emerged that the airline has not repaid a significant part of its obligations, amounting to Euro 832 thousand, which together with interest in the amount of Euro 154 thousand, have reached the value of Euro 986 thousand. It has also not repaid its obligations for airport usage fees, in the amount of Euro 223 thousand.

A year after the filing of the lawsuit, Eurocontrol has filed a request for the reduction and specification of the object of the lawsuit, which it has based on the fact that Air Albania has repaid its obligations. According to Eurocontrol, Air Albania, after being notified of the lawsuit, has voluntarily repaid its debts.

On the other hand, Eurocontrol requests the continuation of the trial, for the obligation of Air Albania to pay court and legal costs in the total amount of over Euro 22 thousand.

The next preparatory session for this case is scheduled to take place on October 20, at 12:00. Due to the failure of Air Albania to take notice of the previous sessions, which was previously notified by summons sent to the official address, the Civil Chamber of the Court of Tirana has ordered that a public announcement be made for notification at the address of the airline's headquarters in Tirana, at the National Business Center, as well as in the premises and on the court's own website.

The airline Air Albania was founded with the help of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an in 2018, with investors Türk Hava Yollari a.o. (Turkish Airlines), MDN Investments, and the state-owned company Albcontrol. Turkish Airlines owns 49% of the shares, MDN Investments has 41% of the quotas, and the Ministry of Economy and Innovation has 10%.

According to a 9-month financial report of Turkish Airlines for 2025, Air Albania had accumulated about Euro 50 million in unpaid debts to the parent company. On December 3 of last year, the Civil Aviation Authority suspended Air Albania's air activity. By a government decision dated January 15 of this year, the quotas that Albcontrol sh.a. owned in Air Albania were transferred to the Ministry of Economy and Innovation.