Growth & Development

Today, Prishtina International Airport has a flight average of 20 aircrafts per day whereas passenger number continuously is increased.During  2008, for the first time ever, number of 1 million passengers was reached and over-fulfilled. Altogether, there were 1.137.000 civilian passengers and approximately 100 thousand military passengers.

During the aforementioned year, Prishtina International Airport also had an impressionable improvement in management, both in quality of the provided services for passengers and for airlines, and in increase of the revenues, also.
Net revenues of the Company were estimated 7 million euros.
Whereas for the improvement of services, Prishtina International Airport was selected by the prestigious Company “British Airways”, as ‘golden station’, in a competition with many other international airports of different countries.

Management and employees of the Company during 2008 has managed to reduce time of the handling of an aircraft by 1 hour and 8 minutes, which was a last year average, to 37 minutes. From Prishtina to another countries and/or vice-versa most recognized airlines of the Europe do operate in scheduled lines and in charter one, as follows: British Airways, Austrian Airlines, Malev, Swis, Turkish Airlines, Hamburg International, Bell Air, Adria Airways, and Croatia Airlines etc.

You can fly with these airliners towards these cities: Tirana, Budapest, Zurich, Vienna, London, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Geneva, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Berlin, Rome, Sofia, and Istanbul etc. Year 2009 also came as very promising one for the Company.
Regardless financial crises that have embraced the entire world by direct reflection in the industry of aviation, with reduction of flight and passengers figures, during first two month of this year Company had growth in flight and passengers figures.

There are around 11 million euros earnings in 2009, or more than 50 percent from 2008, when net earnings in PIA were around 7 million euros.Number of passengers during 2009 is increased for some 6 percent in comparison to 2008, whilst increase in number of flights goes from 17 up to 20 percent.

During 2008, over 1 million and 100 thousand commercial passengers passed through the airport, whilst in 2009 number of passengers reached over 1.2 million of commercial passengersLast year, over 1 million and 100 thousand commercial passengers passed through the airport, whilst this year number of passengers reached over 1.2 million of commercial passengers

In addition to increase passengers number, increase in number of flights also appears to be impressive. Comparing to 2008, we have handled around 1,000 aircrafts more . The reason of such big increase in flights number, 17 up to 20 percent or around 1000 flights more, is the fact that PIA begun to operate 24 hours and 7 days a week and by providing the Incentive Program to Airliners.

Management of the Company has foreseen one package of the facilitating financial measures for airliners that choose the flight schedule after 22:00 hrs.

Presumption is that Prishtina International Airport has huge number of passengers in relation to population.
Even though there is no precise registration of population since year 1981, where 1.8 million inhabitants were registered; there is a presumption that number of inhabitants currently has surpassed a figure of 2.5 million.
Number of passengers by 1.2 million is close to half of the population of Kosovo and this high figure comes thanks to huge number of citizens of Kosovo, which lives in emigration. Presumptions are that from 700 up to 800 thousands of citizens of Kosovo live and work in the European Union countries.

Most of them choose to come close to their families in Kosovo in leave times, especially during summer months.
Big influx of the passengers in this time and their difficulties to find out tickets during this period was one of the reasons that Airport commenced to work during 24 hours. During winter season, management and workers of the Company mobilize in order to cope with the massive snow and rain fallings and low temperatures.

Kosovo and the part where Prishtina International Airport is situated are in a height above 500 meters of sea level and therefore fallings are so constant one.This is the reason why the Company is in possession of most modern means and well prepared personnel in order to face out snow and rain fallings but biggest problems occur by the fall of the fog which reduces quiet enough the visibility for aircraft pilots. Fog is especially dense one by the end of December and in January, during morning and evening hours. In these periods, most of the flights in Prishtina International Airport are performed from 11:00 o’clock in the afternoon until 17:00 o’clock evening.
In order to avoid this, Company has invested over 6 million euro in a modern system of lighting out of the aircraft runway . This will turn Prishtina International Airport into a higher category B from the category C where it currently stands, and aircrafts will be able to land even in the visibility conditions of 500 meters. Along with the adequate system, minimum allowed for landing is 800 meters of visibility.

Distinctive from a huge part of other worldwide airports, at Prishtina International Airport baggage hand trolley service is provided free of charge. Passengers can pick up such trolley in order for them to carry out their baggage even outside Terminal buildings, up to the vehicle that have chosen to transport them, but without passing the Airport fence. Speaking of baggage’s, it is worthy to mention that average of awaiting of the baggage’s from the moment of the aircraft landing does not goes over 15 to 20 minutes.
Management of the Company is in continuous effort to reduce, as much as possible, time of waiting and therefore it is being invested over a 1 million euro in a newest system of baggage sorting, which is expected to be installed this year.