Bulgaria Air is the national carrier of Bulgaria. The main air transport hub of the enterprise is the capital airport of Sofia. The carrier operates flights mainly to the cities of Western Europe, as well as to Israel and Russia.
History
The company "Bulgaria Air" was founded recently - in 2002. She became the successor to the then-bankrupt Balkan Bulgarian Airlines. In November of the same year, in connection with an order of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the airline received the status of the national carrier of Bulgaria. The first flight was operated in early December 2002.
A public competition was organized to select the name and emblem of the new flagship airline. The authorized capital of the new carrier in 2002 amounted to BGN 30.160 million and was divided into 30.16 thousand shares. However, the government announced a privatization tender and sold 30,159 shares by October 2006. The victory was won by the union of Bulgarian airlines, the largest of which was Hemus Air. The airline paid over 6 million euros following the results of the competition, and also pledged to allocate more than 80 million euros for the development of the enterprise in the next 5 years. To expand the geography of flights, new aircraft were purchased. In 2008, Bulgaria Air became a member of IATA.
Air park
The following airliners are listed in the company's fleet:
- Boeing 737-300 (4).
- “Airbus A319-100” (3).
- Airbus A320 (3).
- British AeroSpace-146-200 / 300 (8).
- Avro RJ70 (1).
- ATR-42-300 (2).
- Embraer E190 (4).
Flight geography
The domestic directions of the carrier are Sofia, Burgas and Varna. International flights to Russia by Bulgaria Air - Moscow and St. Petersburg. Flights to other CIS countries are not operated.
The company also operates international flights to the following countries:
- Austria Vienna),
- Albania (Tirana),
- Belgium (Brussels),
- Great Britain (London, Manchester),
- Hungary (Budapest),
- Germany (Berlin, Frankfurt),
- Greece (Athens),
- Denmark (Copenhagen),
- Israel (Tel Aviv),
- Spain (Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca),
- Italy (Rome, Milan),
- Cyprus (Larnaca, Paphos),
- Lebanon (Beirut),
- Libya (Tripoli),
- Macedonia (Skopje),
- Netherlands (Amsterdam),
- Poland Warsaw),
- Portugal (Lisbon),
- France Paris),
- Czech Republic (Prague) ,
- Switzerland (Zurich).
Baggage allowance
On the flights of the national air carrier of Bulgaria, the following baggage rules apply:
- one baggage bag cannot exceed 23 kg in weight, and 1.58 m in total length, width and height;
- if the baggage weighs more than 23 kg or the sum of its three dimensions exceeds 1.58 m, an additional fee is charged from the passenger;
- business class passengers are entitled to two pieces of luggage;
- passengers traveling in economy class are entitled to one baggage bag;
- each passenger has the right to take with him on board the aircraft hand luggage (or cabin luggage), the mass of which is not more than 10 kg.
The indicated freight rates vary depending on the type of airliner, as well as the direction. Holders of Visa Platinum cards, frequent flyers participating in the Frequent Flyer program, as well as children under 2 years of age and sailors are privileged to carry extra baggage.
Bulgaria Air Flights, Services and Check-In
The registration procedure for company flights is constantly being improved. Today, there are 3 ways to register:
- on the airline’s website,
- directly at the airport, with a company representative,
- at the self-registration kiosk.
Registration closes 40 minutes before the scheduled departure time.
Bulgaria Air tickets can be purchased on the airline’s official website or at specialized transport and travel agencies and sales offices.
The quality of service in flight is no worse than that of the world's leading air carriers. In the economy class, passengers are offered not only snacks and drinks, but also alcohol. Armchairs in business class are characterized by convenience and increased comfort. Business travelers are offered a varied menu, and they can also book private flights. In addition, on board you can purchase souvenirs and goods necessary for travel.
Also, Bulgaria Air has its own loyalty program for regular customers called FlyFB Bonus Points. According to the terms of this program, for each flight a passenger accumulates a certain number of points, which can be spent on some services in the future. Such services include service at business check-in counters, free baggage allowance, and discounts of up to 100% on airline tickets. Everyone can become a member of this passenger reward program after the first flight. To do this, you must contact the airline office or the flight attendant during the flight. Regular customers are given gold and silver bonus cards.
Bulgaria Air: reviews of Russian passengers
The main assessment of the quality of the airline are the reviews of its passengers. They are found both positive and negative.
Positive moments for passengers are:
- punctuality,
- economy class alcoholic drinks,
- courtesy and professionalism of flight attendants,
- low cost of air travel,
- cleanliness and accuracy of salons,
- the convenience of booking tickets through the site,
- the convenience of seats in aircraft cabins,
- aircraft novelty
- low percentage of delays.
Among the negative aspects, passengers note:
- ignorance of the Russian language by the crews,
- slow service of passengers in flight,
- lack of a system for informing about changes in the schedule.
The airline "Bulgaria Air" appeared on the transportation market recently - in 2002. However, over fourteen years of work, it has already established itself as a punctual company with a high level of quality of service. The fleet includes mainly new aircraft. The route network is constantly expanding, the total number of destinations is now about 30. Not so long ago, flights began to be operated in Russia. Russian passengers generally speak well of the company.