Abstract:
This dissertation looks into how Tirana International Airport has managed its strategy and
positioned itself competitively after COVID-19, within the Balkan aviation market. The study
will be made to show how TIA handled a pandemic crisis and, thus, completely outpaced its
regional peers in recovery based on analysis from operational data between 2019 and 2024. It
highlights that the recovery of TIA was essentially dependent on a combination of proactive
infrastructure investments, alliances with low-cost carriers (LCCs), and decision-making speed.
The main findings indicated that TIA's swift recovery-by 2024 it had surpassed the traffic level
pre-pandemic-was driven by a strong increase in services from LCCs, the enlarged capacity of
the airport, and a focused incentive policy for airlines. With the quantitative regression model,
it is aimed to quote the operational impact of strategic choices; it attempts to examine, in a
pertinent manner, the influence of a few key operations factors like aircraft movements, LCC
share, and macro-economic indicators upon passenger traffic. These funds on the theoretical
part of the work, concerning airport resilience and recovery after crises, particularly regarding
smaller, resource-constrained airports; they also offer practical guidance to airport management
as it deals with future crises. Consequently, airports should be advised to pursue flexible
strategies, diversify their airline partnerships, and invest in infrastructure that can strengthen
both resilience and long-term competitiveness. Further research could be carried out
qualitatively into decision-making processes, and long-term sustainability.