Albania suspends all commercial flights out of Tirana

Albania will suspend all commercial flights to and from the country from midnight Sunday, allowing only flag carrier Air Albania to fly to Turkey and operate humanitarian flights, the government and airport operator said. The government had already cut all air and sea links with Italy, now the worst-hit country and home to 400,000 Albanians, after its first coronavirus case arrived from Italy a fortnight ago along with 120,000 returning Albanians.

There have been 76 coronavirus cases in Albania and two deaths. Tirana International Airport (TIA) said it will keep handling humanitarian, repatriation and cargo flights, along with others needed to help to contain the virus.