1 Runway: Length Is 2500 M and Width Is 45 M
Airports in Bulgaria
There are four major airports in Bulgaria and they all have great connections from all over the world. The national airline is Bulgaria Air. The most popular low cost airlines flying to Bulgaria are Wizz Air, Ryanair and Easy Jet. All airports are 100% State-owned.
International airports in Bulgaria
Burgas (Sarafovo) / BOJ /
Varna (Aksakovo) / VAR /
Gorna Oryahovitsa / GOZ /
Plovdiv (Krumovo) / PDV /
Sofia (Vrazhdebna) / SOF /
Those in bold serve regular civil flights. There are 15 more airports licensed as airfields for microlight aviation throughout Bulgaria and 11 military airfields.
In the recent years Bulgarian airports reported a steady growth of traffic, every year between 2001 and 2007 growth has been above 12%. Between 1999 and 2007, the number of passengers has tripled from just 2 million to over 6 million passengers in total for the three main airports - Sofia, Bourgas and Varna. This year though, things are a bit different: all three airports report impressive growth. According to anna.aero, Sofia Airport has recorded an increase in passengers of almost 14% in the first eight months of 2016. Ryanair opened its 83rd base at the airport in September. Given that, it seems likely that growth for 2016 as a whole is likely to be well above 15%. For the resort destinations of Bourgas and Varna year-to-date growth to September has been even more impressive at 23.3% and 21.0% respectively. All of this means that having handled a record of 7.5 million passengers in 2015, anna.aero predicts that total traffic across the three airports is likely to be in excess of 9 million in 2016.
Source: Sofia Airport, Fraport. *anna.aero forecast for 2016.
Looking at monthly passenger numbers since the beginning of 2015 clearly shows the impressive growth last year across all three airports. It also reveals that while Sofia’s seasonality is relatively low, Bourgas and Varna have extremely seasonal operations. In fact, last winter Bourgas was closed for all of November and December, but this was to allow renovation of the taxiways and aprons.
Bourgas is so popular during the peak summer season that its monthly passenger numbers in June, July and August exceed those achieved at the airport serving the country’s capital. Both Bourgas and Varna are operated by Fraport Twin Star which celebrated the 10th anniversary of its partnership at the airports on 10 November 2016.
According to a recent Fraport press release*, the major tourism source markets driving the growth in 2016 include Russia, Germany, Poland and the UK. In addition, the two airports experienced a 7% increase in the number of airlines and a 16% gain in destinations in 2016. Both of these airports also welcome a significant number of charter flights that are not included in OAG schedule data.
*
Source: Sofia Airport, Fraport. *anna.aero forecast for 2016.
The battle to be the leading airline in Sofia has become more intense with the arrival of Ryanair this year. Looking at schedule data for mid-September (after Ryanair made Sofia its 83rd base) shows that local carrier Bulgaria Air operates the most weekly departures, ahead of Wizz Air and Ryanair. However, in terms of seat capacity Wizz Air leads the way ahead of Bulgaria Air and Ryanair.
Ryanair announced in February 2017 its first Varna flights, with a new twice weekly service to Brussels Charleroi starting October, which will deliver over 35,000 customers p.a. at Varna Airport, Ryanair’s 3rd Bulgarian destination.
Ryanair also launched a new route from Plovdiv to Brussels Charleroi, with a twice weekly service beginning in October, as part of its winter 2017 schedule.
Source: OAG Schedules Analyser for w/c 12 September 2016.
The biggest airport in Bulgaria - Sofia Airport, is located about 10 km east of the center of the capital. The airport is a hub for the national carrier "Bulgaria Air" and is operated by "Sofia Airport" EAD, Swissport Bulgaria and Goldair Handling Bulgaria. The airport has two terminals which are about 3 km away from each other. A total of 559 542 passengers passed through Sofia Airport in the fifth month of the year 2017, which is a 36,4% increase compared to the same period last year. Passengers on international scheduled flights increased by 35%, while passengers on domestic flights increased more than twice as compared to last year or 23 973 passengers. An increase of 5% was reported for passengers on charter flights as well, with 8 387 carried passengers. In May, 5 043 aircraft landed and departed from Sofia Airport, which forms a 13,4% increase compared to the same month of the previous year. The comparison with the indicators from May 2016 shows a rise in aircraft movements on domestic flights with 43% and with 17% on international scheduled flights. Processed cargo and mail shipments for the period were 1 944 tones in total or 32,5% more than the previous year. The airport base is licensed to perform the following activities: ground handling services, handling aircraft, passengers, baggage, cargo & mail, and fueling.
Sofia airport traffic for calendar year 2016:
Aircraft / Passengers / Freight (Tonnes) / Mail (Tonnes)
DESCRIPTION / Movements / Embarked / Disembarked / Total / Direct / Loaded / Unloaded / Total / Loaded / Unloaded / Total
Total / (c+d) / Transit / (g+h) / (j+k)
a / b / c / d / e / f / g / h / I / j / k / l
Month:January/December
A. Commercial airtransport:
1. International scheduled / 41 046 / 2 384 044 / 2 336 410 / 4 720 454 / 6 328 / 3730,812 / 2598,632 / 6329,444 / 837,750 / 1211,850 / 2049,600
2. International non-scheduled / 4 867 / 44 822 / 43 757 / 88 579 / 279 / 6537,389 / 6208,711 / 12746,100 / 0,000 / 0,313 / 0,313
3. Total international (1+2) / 45 913 / 2 428 866 / 2 380 167 / 4 809 033 / 6 607 / 10268,201 / 8807,343 / 19075,544 / 837,750 / 1212,163 / 2049,913
4. Domestic scheduled and non-scheduled / 2 624 / 80 284 / 77 693 / 157 977 / 13 / 23,650 / 6,256 / 29,906 / 0,000 / 0,000 / 0,000
5. Total Commercial Air Transport (1+3+4) / 48 537 / 2 509 150 / 2 457 860 / 4 967 010 / 6 620 / 10291,851 / 8813,599 / 19105,450 / 837,750 / 1212,163 / 2049,913
6. All-freight/mail services / 1 618 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 6532,389 / 6206,711 / 12739,100 / 0,000 / 14,172 / 14,172
7. Air taxi and commercial business flights / 3 240 / 2 571 / 2 073 / 4 644 / 0 / 1,000 / 3,000 / 4,000 / 0,000 / 0,000 / 0,000
B. Other services - total / 3 222 / 2 711 / 3 318 / 6 029 / 901 / 0,000 / 0,000 / 0,000 / 0,000 / 0,000 / 0,000
Total (5+7+B) / 51 759 / 2 511 861 / 2 461 178 / 4 973 039 / 7 521 / 10291,851 / 8813,599 / 19105,450 / 837,750 / 1212,163 / 2049,913
The Ministry of transport, information technology and communications (MTITC) hopes the concession procedure for Sofia airport, which was suspended by the interim government, will be renewed in September - with an international consultant this time.
Plovdiv Airport or Krumovo Airport is the airport of the second largest city in Bulgaria and cultural capital of the country, Plovdiv. It acts as a backup for Sofia Airport. Plovdiv Airport is located about 12 km southeast of Plovdiv, near the village of Krumovo and to the main road Plovdiv - Asenovgrad. About a kilometer away from the airport terminal there is a railway station called "Mavrudovo" on the railway line Plovdiv - Asenovgrad. It’s the closest airport for ski resorts Bansko and Pamporovo. The operational hours of the airport are 0600-2200 LT. All flights out of working hours of the airport will be serviced on request and with prior permission. Plovdiv Airport is staffed with experienced personnel performing passenger, cargo and business flights services in the following areas: ground administration and supervision; passenger handling; baggage handling; freight and mail handling; ramp handling; aircraft services; fuel and oil Handling.
- 1 Runway: length is 2500 m and width is 45 m
- serves a catchment area of 2 million people
- operates a new passenger terminal since August 2009 which is designed to serve up to 600 passengers at peak hour
- terminal building occupies 7350 sq. m.
- operates with a modern ground service equipment (GSE) and security equipment
- is the only fully licensed Ground Handling Operator, offering very competitive handling charges
Aircraft / Passengers / Freight (Tonnes)
DESCRIPTION / Movements / Embarked / Disembarked / Total / Direct / Loaded / Unloaded / Total
Total / (c+d) / Transit / (g+h)
a / b / c / d / e / f / g / h / I
Month:January/December
A. Commercial airtransport:
1. International scheduled / 389 / 32 382 / 32 884 / 65 266 / 112 / 0,000 / 0,000 / 0,000
2. International non-scheduled / 554 / 5 497 / 5 435 / 10 932 / 189 / 154,650 / 1 678,290 / 1 832,940
3. Total international (1+2) / 943 / 37 879 / 38 319 / 76 198 / 301 / 154,650 / 1 678,290 / 1 832,940
4. Domestic scheduled and non-scheduled / 194 / 42 / 38 / 80 / 0 / 0,000 / 0,000 / 0,000
5. Total Commercial Air Transport (1+3+4) / 1 137 / 37 921 / 38 357 / 76 278 / 301 / 154,650 / 1 678,290 / 1 832,940
6. All-freight/mail services / 40 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 154,650 / 1 132,580 / 1 287,230
7. Air taxi and commercial business flights / 156 / 261 / 291 / 552 / 0 / 0,000 / 0,000 / 0,000
B. Other services - total / 1 337 / 386 / 433 / 819 / 0 / 709,090 / 213,260 / 922,350
Total (5+7+B) / 2 474 / 38 307 / 38 790 / 77 097 / 301 / 863,740 / 1 891,550 / 2 755,290
The Ministry of transport, information technology and communications (MTITC) has opened a Concession Granting Procedure for service for the object Civil airport for public use Plovdiv. The Notice for the procedure has been published on the web site of the Official Journal of the European Community under № 2017/S 010-015184, on the web site of National Concession Register under № А-000849/16.01.2017 and on the web site of the Bulgarian State Gazette: under № 1 as of 16.01.2017. The deadline for submission of offers was 17 May 2017 and the date for their opening was 18 May 2017. The decision for the winner of the concession is to be announced in the coming months.
Burgas Airport is an international airport in Southeastern Bulgaria. It is located in the Sarafovo district of Burgas, 10 km from the city center. It occupies second place on the passenger flow in the country after Sofia Airport. The airport has convenient connections for intermodal transport on land and sea within Bulgaria as well as around the world. The tracks are steady and long enough to accommodate any aircraft used in civil and military aviation. The airport base is licensed to perform the following activities: ground administration and flight supervision; passenger service on domestic and international transport lines; baggage service; cargo and mail service; service with fuels and oils; flight operations and crew administration; ground transportation; aircraft service; on-board aircraft service; supplies of provisions; meteorological interventions. Burgas airport is close to the popular beach resorts Sunny Beach and Nessebar. The specific geographic location - the border between Europe and Asia - also determines its strategic importance for new relations in the modern world.
In the end of 2013, Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD inaugurated a new modern passenger terminal at Burgas Airport. The investment in the new facility and the related infrastructure is over 80 Mln BGN (1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN fixed rate).
- 1 Runway: length is 3200 m.
- 24 hour operations, no slot constraints
- Over 18,000 flights in 2015
- 2.4 million passengers in 2015
- 125 destinations
Aircraft / Passengers / Freight (Tonnes)
DESCRIPTION / Movements / Embarked / Disembarked / Total / Direct / Loaded / Unloaded / Total
Total / (c+d) / Transit / (g+h)
a / b / c / d / e / f / g / h / I
Month:January/December
A. Commercial airtransport:
1. International scheduled / 5 982 / 442 570 / 442 767 / 885 337 / 5 314 / 28,633 / 10,278 / 38,911
2. International non-scheduled / 12 991 / 972 245 / 975 574 / 1 947 819 / 1 731 / 10761,634 / 38,988 / 10800,622
3. Total international (1+2) / 18 973 / 1 414 815 / 1 418 341 / 2 833 156 / 7 045 / 10790,267 / 49,266 / 10839,533
4. Domestic scheduled and non-scheduled / 558 / 10 499 / 10 605 / 21 104 / 2 555 / 0,945 / 9,210 / 10,155
5. Total Commercial Air Transport (1+3+4) / 19 531 / 1 425 314 / 1 428 946 / 2 854 260 / 9 600 / 10791,212 / 58,476 / 10849,688
6. All-freight/mail services / 462 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 10755,320 / 16,157 / 10771,477
7. Air taxi and commercial business flights / 368 / 390 / 399 / 789 / 7 / 0,000 / 0,000 / 0,000
B. Other services - total / 1 342 / 1 976 / 1 506 / 3 482 / 11 541 / 25,579 / 0,000 / 25,579
Total (5+7+B) / 20 873 / 1 427 290 / 1 430 452 / 2 857 742 / 21 141 / 10816,791 / 58,476 / 10875,267
Varna International Airport is located on the northern Black Sea coast, 8 km from the city of Varna, the largest seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea. Since the end of 2006, under a contract with the Bulgarian Government, Varna Airport has been concessioned for 35 years to the German-Bulgarian consortium Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD.
- 1 Runway: length is 2500 m.
- 24 hour operations, no slot constraints
- Nearly 15 000 flights in 2016
- 1,7 million passengers in 2016
- 102 destinations
Varna airport traffic for calendar year 2016:
Aircraft / Passengers / Freight (Tonnes)
DESCRIPTION / Movements / Embarked / Disembarked / Total / Direct / Loaded / Unloaded / Total
Total / (c+d) / Transit / (g+h)
a / b / c / d / e / f / g / h / I
Month:January/December
A. Commercial airtransport:
1. International scheduled / 5 222 / 318 776 / 308 035 / 626 811 / 10 985 / 5,395 / 78,425 / 83,820
2. International non-scheduled / 6 827 / 452 387 / 457 396 / 909 783 / 1 350 / 3 112,833 / 50,168 / 3 163,001
3. Total international (1+2) / 12 049 / 771 163 / 765 431 / 1 536 594 / 12 335 / 3 118,228 / 128,593 / 3 246,821
4. Domestic scheduled and non-scheduled / 1 898 / 65 923 / 68 625 / 134 548 / 3 878 / 6,356 / 11,739 / 18,095
5. Total Commercial Air Transport (1+3+4) / 13 947 / 837 086 / 834 056 / 1 671 142 / 16 213 / 3 124,584 / 140,332 / 3 264,916
6. All-freight/mail services / 120 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3 110,007 / 46,813 / 3 156,820
7. Air taxi and commercial business flights / 821 / 1 409 / 1 436 / 2 845 / 67 / 0,432 / 0,016 / 0,448
B. Other services - total / 871 / 95 / 264 / 359 / 1 885 / 11,144 / 17,380 / 28,524
Total (5+7+B) / 14 818 / 837 181 / 834 320 / 1 671 501 / 18 098 / 3 135,728 / 157,712 / 3 293,440
By a decision of the government mid 2016 the consortium "Gorna Oryahovitsa Civil Airport" received Gorna Oryahovitsa airport on a concession for a period of 35 years. 32 million BGN are planned for investments in the aerodrome for this period. Two popular low cost airlines and companies dealing with cargos will fly from the airport. Less than 10 km away two highways - "Hemus" and “Rousse - Veliko Tarnovo” join on a junction beside Polikraishte.
Gorna Oryahovitsa Airport was founded in 1925 and during socialism it developed freight and passenger flights in the country. It has an unique equipment, including a bad weather system. Lately it was mainly used as a basis of the famous flyer Gancho Daskalov's company for agricultural and training flights "Fortuna Air".
Gorna Oryahovitsa airport traffic:
Aircraft / Passengers / Freight (Tonnes)
DESCRIPTION / Movements / Embarked / Disembarked / Total / Direct / Loaded / Unloaded / Total
Total / (c+d) / Transit / (g+h)
a / b / c / d / e / f / g / h / I
Month:January/December
A. Commercial airtransport:
1. International scheduled / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0,00 / 0,00
2. International non-scheduled / 229 / 84 / 64 / 148 / 0 / 160 / 468,00 / 628,00
3. Total international (1+2) / 229 / 84 / 64 / 148 / 0 / 160 / 468,00 / 628,00
4. Domestic scheduled and non-scheduled / 126 / 49 / 38 / 87 / 8 / 0 / 0,00 / 0,00
5. Total Commercial Air Transport (1+3+4) / 355 / 133 / 102 / 235 / 8 / 160 / 468,00 / 628,00
6. All-freight/mail services / 37 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 160 / 468,00 / 628,00
7. Air taxi and commercial business flights / 318 / 133 / 102 / 235 / 8 / 0 / 0,00 / 0,00
B. Other services - total / 493 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0,00 / 0,00
Total (5+7+B) / 848 / 133 / 102 / 235 / 8 / 160 / 468,00 / 628,00