Getting Around

I’d say in terms of travel, flying an American carrier is probably one of my least favorite things. That the US airline industry has gotten completely out of control with ala carte pricing and ridiculous baggage fees doesn’t make it any better. Passengers need to realize the days of cheap airline travel for a quick weekend getaway are over… and American airlines need to be more upfront about charges. It seems like all the gimmicks have mostly been limited to American companies. Maybe it’s because America is the land of the gimmicks?

By comparison, I was amazed at the quality and price of my flight to Cairo and back. Tirana’s limited schedules made the timing a little inconvenient, but there weren’t any other options. How refreshing to have a bag checked, to have a carry on, and to have a drink and a meal… all without having to wonder how much it was going to cost me. And that’s on top of the fact that I didn’t really need to show up three hours early to the airport. If the botched attack this past Christmas and countless others have taught us anything, it’s that absolute security isn’t possible. And I don’t worry so much about it. It’s just another risk associated with flying, and I don’t need to vomit all the tired statistics about safety to prove it.

Even the flight in and out of Tirana (Rinas / Mother Theresa Airport) was enjoyable and without a hitch. Although it’s situated a half an hour outside of the capital, an express bus runs from the center on the hour for a reasonable 250Lek. There are other hassles associated with Tirana, but the airport isn’t on the list. When I first found out I was coming to Albania, a former professor told me she remembered landing here a long time ago when Rinas was nothing more than a landing strip. A lot has changed since then.

The airport has recently seen a 50 million Euro renovation that meets international standards. It can handle up to 1 million passengers annually. This renovation included a new passenger and cargo tunnel, a 7km road and a new perimeter road. According to the airport’s website, they were miraculously completed on time. A second stage will divide the terminals and cost an additional 20 to 30 million Euros. Hardly the Sunbury Airport that Rinas used to be.

The improvements continue. Maybe there’s some truth in the popular Democratic Party slogan, “Shqiperia po ndryshon” (“Albania is changing,” which we sing every time the power goes on and off). Aside from the airport, the most notable square in the country is getting a facelift: Skanderbeg Square, highlighted by the Ethel Bey mosque, the National Opera house, the National Museum and the namesake statue of Skanderbeg, is now being ripped apart and rebuilt. Unfortunately, it’s also a main traffic artery so you can imagine the mess it’s created. While I was in the area, which is being financed by one of the Middle Eastern states, pamphlets and billboards announced the construction. Unfortunately, there was no discernible building plan on any of the information. I had read a while ago that the square will be redone and a tourist office and a high-rise figures into plans. In my year here, I’ve adapted a defense mechanism to news like this: basically, I’ll believe it when I see it. I wouldn’t doubt there will be a new tourist office and new buildings. But we’ll just have to wait and see: 1. If they are completed within the given time and at the proper standards, and 2. If the tourist office is actually open consistently during its specified hours.