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Catastrophic consequences for holidaymakersTrouble over new mega airport escalates – all flights canceled!
Summer, sun, sea breeze – for many holidaymakers in the city of Vlora it remains a dream this year
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The holiday dream bursts like a soap bubble.
The Balkans are booming as a travel destination like never before. But a new airport in Albania is now causing huge chaos for holidaymakers. The flights for the summer holidays were canceled at short notice.
New Vlora airport does not receive approval
The anticipation of cheap summer holidays by the sea was great. But nothing will come of it now. The Swiss airline Chair wanted to be the first to fly to a brand new airport – now all planned holiday flights have been canceled. The reason: The airport is still not ready to take off.
As the travel portal Travelnews reports, this concerns the new airport in Vlora in southern Albania. Chair had wanted to fly to the coastal city from Zurich from June. But nothing comes of it.
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“As things stand, the airport was unable to obtain the necessary approvals for this summer in time,” explains Chair Manager Steven Eichenberger. An opening this summer is therefore no longer expected. For passengers this means: all planned summer flights to Vlora are cancelled.
Albania is currently considered an absolute trend hotspot among holidaymakers. According to figures from the tour operator Dertour, bookings for Balkan trips in 2026 are increasing massively, as the Blick newspaper reports. Albania in particular attracts with cheap prices, turquoise water and significantly fewer tourists than classic destinations such as Mallorca or Sardinia.
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$190 million project has been causing trouble for years
The new Vlora airport was actually supposed to be the Albanian government's big prestige project. The construction costs around 190 million dollars. The airport is being built on a former military site around 20 kilometers north of the coastal city.
But there has been trouble surrounding the project for years. Environmental organizations are sounding the alarm because the airport is being built next to a protected lagoon. Flamingos and pelicans, among others, live there, and migratory birds also rest in the area. Critics therefore warn of an increased risk of bird strikes for aircraft.
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There are also disputes among investors, discussions about approvals and allegations of corruption. The vision of a new holiday airport is increasingly becoming a permanent construction site. And for the holidaymakers who dreamed of a relaxing drink in a café at sunset, their dream has been dashed for the time being.
Sources used: travel news, View
