Bulgaria Air

www.air.bg

Types of Travelers

Business Travlers

3/5

Standard business class amenities

Family Traveler

2/5

Poor meal choices, no onboard entertainment

Backpacker
Adventure Traveler

3/5

A few interesting destinations in East Europe

Student
Budget Traveler

4/5

Cheap excess baggage fees

Elderly
Disabled Traveler

2/5

Standard accessibility, below average food choices

Long Term Traveler

2/5

No onboard entertainment, below average meal choices

Novice Traveler

2/5

Not the most user-friendly airline

Introduction

Bulgaria Air was established in 2002 and privatized in 2006. It replaced Balkan Bulgarian Airlines, which went out of business earlier in the decade. It is a young airline and has done reasonably well, mostly due to lack of competition on domestic and regional routes. The airline only recently became a full member of the IATA (in 2009).

Bulgaria Air is a small airline that serves less than 200,000 passengers per year. There are plans for expansion and the fleet will be modernized and add long haul-capable aircraft over the next few years. The airline hopes to begin trans-Atlantic flights be the end of the next decade. It currently flies to Israel and Libya, as well as most major cities in Europe.

Ratings

Important Factors 2/5

Average Delay

73%

Cancelled Flights
(average per month)

Less than 2%

Customer Satisfaction Rating

2 out of 5 stars

Types of Aircraft

Airbus A319, A320; ATR 42; Boeing 737

General 3/5

Number of Domestic Flights (Daily)

Number of International Flights (Daily)

Size of Fleet

Major Airports and Destinations Served

Sofia, Madrid, Frankfurt, Athens, Zurich, Barcelona, Amsterdam

Location of Hub

Sofia Airport

Countries Served

Bulgaria, Spain, Germany, Israel, Poland, Italy, Netherlands

Number of Routes

Most Popular Routes

Sofia-Madrid; Sofia-Brussels; Sofia-Amsterdam

In-Flight 1/5

Which Routes offer Meal Service?

All flights offer snack and beverage service. Limited meal service in business class

Food Quality

Poor

In-flight Menu

Beverage and snacks, local cuisine

Average Leg Room

30-32 inches

Types of In-flight Entertainment

In flight magazine, shopping, no movies

Baggage 4/5

Baggage Fees

None (cheap excess baggage fees starting at 1 Euro)

Number of Bags Allowed

Weight Limits and Restrictions

44 lbs

Web Site 1/5

Online Check-in

Web Site Usability

Poor

Special Needs 3/5

Handicap Accessibility

Standard accessibility

Pets

n/a

Special Offers /Partners 2/5

Airline Alliance Membership

none

Hotel Partners

FlyFB Bonus Points

Competing Airlines

TAROM

Strengths

Good service to Bulgaria
Cheap fares
Cheap excess baggage fees

Weaknesses

Old aircraft
Poor in-flight services
Limited reach outside Bulgaria

Frequent Flier Program and Airport Lounges

Bulgaria Air is currently not a part of any airline alliance. It has a frequent flier program that allows passengers to earn points on its flights and also to earn points on code-share flights. Points can be used to earn high status, which allows for perks like free upgrades, discounted tickets and preferential boarding and check in.

Conclusion

Bulgaria Air is only a real option for people who are flying from elsewhere in Europe directly to the Bulgarian city of Sofia. Fares are cheap, but service is lacking and there are no amenities worth mentioning. However, the airline markets itself as a low-cost-carrier, so most customers expect a no-frills experience when purchasing their tickets.