"SOF Connect" will renovate the covered parking of "Terminal 2" for BGN 24.5 million SOF Connect and GBS-Infrastructural Construction signed a contract for the renovation of the covered parking lot at Terminal 2 of Sofia Airport. The project is worth nearly BGN 24.5 million and its implementation is of strategic importance for the development of the airport. Renovation work on Terminal 2's four-story covered car park will begin in 2024 and will take about a year to complete. In the meantime, GBS-Infrastructural Construction is expected to complete the construction of the open parking lot with a capacity of over 1,000 spaces. Thus, passengers at Sofia Airport will have the opportunity to park in the open parking lot until the renovation of the closed one is completed. As a final result of the realization of the two projects, Terminal 2 will have a total of almost 1,900 parking spaces. The company GBS-Infrastructure construction, part of the corporate group of Glavbolgarstroy, is oriented in the construction of large-scale projects in the field of transport and water infrastructure. One of the largest construction projects of the company in recent years is the southern arc of the Sofia ring road, three sections of the Struma motorway, including the bridge at the Zheleznitsa tunnel, built using innovative technology, the section from Slivnitsa to Hrabarsko on the Europa motorway, the new breakthrough along ul. Philip Kutev and others.
Source: 24 chasa (15.11.2023)

Air Force 28 wants a new derogation for Lukoil in order to shop cheaply The state aviation operator, better known as "Aviootryad 28", has sent a letter to the Minister of Transport, Georgi Gvozdeikov, requesting a derogation for the supply of aviation fuel. In the document, the aviation unit signals to the minister that the contract for the supply of fuel from "Lukoil Aviation Bulgaria" is expiring, and they cannot fulfill their obligations. Until now, they have supplied fuel under the contract with "Lukoil" at a price of 1009.53 US dollars per ton. The aviation operator sent letters to the three licensed ground operators - "Goldair Handling Bulgaria", "Sof Connect" and "Swisport Bulgaria", but received a response only from "Sof Connect", which offered a price of 3440 euros per ton and insisted on a deposit in amount of 200,000 euros. In addition, talks were held with "Shell&MOH Aviation", who replied that they could not deliver under the specified conditions, and that they planned to freeze their activities at the Bulgarian airport. And this answer was received at the last moment - on February 27. Given this fact, the airline operator offers three options - a derogation for "Lukoil", additional negotiations with "Shell" for a temporary contract until the end of June 2024, when the company stops working, or purchase from "Sof Connect" at high prices.
Source: Sega (05.03.2024)

GBS-Infrastructure Construction, part of the Glavbolgarstroy corporate group, is starting the construction of a large open-air parking lot at Sofia Airport. It will cover a total area of ??25,000 sq. m. and will provide travelers with nearly 1,000 parking spaces. The parking lot will also have spaces for electric cars with adjacent charging stations. The activities are expected to be completed this fall. Emil Angelov, CEO and Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Glavbolgarstroy Holding, Jesus Caballero, CEO of SOF Connect - operator of Sofia Airport, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Anna Natova and Mayor of Slatina District Georgi Iliev participated in the "first sod" ceremony on the terrain near Terminal 2. "In the next six months, the team of "GBS-Infrastructure Construction" will work tirelessly to transform this area of ??Sofia Airport so that it will soon be able to accommodate 1,000 cars. Of course, the project does not only include parking spaces. A new road will be built, there will be charging stations for electric cars, the installations of the pass-through regime will read license plates and access control will be significantly increased. All innovations in the construction of such a facility will be implemented,” said Emil Angelov, CEO and Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of “Glavbolgarstroy Holding” AD. “The open-air parking lot is a key project for us and is part of the plan for modernization and development of Sofia Airport. After the construction of the open-air parking lot, we will also start the renovation of the covered parking lot at Terminal 2. As a result of these projects, passengers will have about 1,800 parking spaces available,” said Jesus Caballero. An access control system will also be implemented at Terminal 2. It recognizes the license plate and will ensure that every arriving driver who intends to drop off or pick up passengers will have quick access, without waiting in lines, and will limit the access of unregulated taxis to the parking lot.
Source: Company information (22.04.2024)

The construction of 1,000 new parking spaces at Terminal 2 of Sofia Airport begins SOF Connect, the operator of Sofia Airport and "Glavbolgarstroy Holding" are starting the construction of the new outdoor parking lot at Sofia Airport, which will cover a total area of 25,000 square meters and provide travelers with nearly 1,000 parking spaces. The project is worth more than BGN 7 million. After the construction of the open parking lot, the renovation of the covered parking lot of Terminal 2 will also start. As a result of these projects, passengers will have around 1,800 parking spaces available. A new road will be built, there will be charging stations for electric cars, the pass mode installations will read the numbers and the admission control will be significantly increased.
Source: news.bg (23.04.2024)

The largest shop in Bulgaria for duty-free trade was opened at Sofia Airport. Sofia Airport operator SOF Connect and Avolta - a leading global company for providing an excellent passenger experience, opened the store. All passengers traveling through Terminal 2 will pass through the new 1,733 m? shopping area, located immediately after security. In 2022, SOF Connect and Avolta signed a contract for the management of duty-free shops at Sofia Airport for eight and a half years. Avolta operates in 73 countries and 1,000 locations including airports, highways, cruise ferries, train stations and more. Avolta is a public company, its shares are traded on the SIX stock exchange in Zurich, Switzerland.
Source: money.bg (29.04.2024)

The concessionaire of Sofia Airport owes nearly BGN 155 million The concessionaire of Sofia Airport - "Sof Connect" - owes concession fees in the amount of over EUR 79 million (over BGN 154.8 million) only for the first three years of the 35-year concession. The amounts will be paid in two equal installments only in the period 2046-2048. The huge sums will be paid only after about 20-22 years, as shortly after the start of the concession, the outgoing government of Boyko Borisov in the spring of 2021 voted for a 10-year postponement of concession fees due to the pandemic and reduced passenger traffic. We remind you that "Sof Connect" only paid the initial concession fee in the amount of BGN 660 million (over EUR 336.7 million) at the beginning of 2021. The concession fees for the first 10 years of the 35-year concession have been deferred for payment in the last 10 years of her, that is. they are due and payable by the concessionaire from the 26th to the 35th year of the concession term. For the period April 20 - December 31, 2021, the annual concession fee due is in the amount of more than 17.2 million euros without VAT. It will be paid by Soft Connect in two equal installments in the 26th year of the concession term, i.e. only in 2046. For 2022, the annual concession fee amounts to over BGN 27.2 million excluding VAT. It will also be paid in two installments in the 27th year of the concession period, i.e. 2047. For the last year - 2023 - the concession fee due is in the amount of over 34.5 million euros without VAT. The amount is to be paid in two equal installments in the 28th year of the concession period, i.e. in 2048. According to the five-year investment plan (2021-2025), "Sof Knet" has an obligation to invest BGN 143 million (about EUR 73 million). At the end of last year, the realized investments amounted to BGN 49 million (EUR 25 million), and by the end of 2024, their total amount is expected to be BGN 98 million (EUR 50 million). Such intentions were also announced by the concessionaire at the beginning of the year. More than 7.2 million passengers are served in 2023 by the airport, according to passenger flow data. Compared to 2022, this is an increase of 1 million. Before the pandemic - in 2019 - more than 7.1 million passengers were served, i.e. last year, airport traffic normalized and reached pre-pandemic levels. The weakest was 2020 (note - that's when the pandemic broke out in Bulgaria), when just under 3 million passengers were served. In 2018, before the concession, just over 6.9 million passengers passed through the airport.
Source: economic.bg (16.07.2024)

The concessionaire is investing BGN 500 million in a new terminal at Sofia Airport, it will be ready in 2031 A BGN 500 million investment in Terminal 3 at Sofia Airport and an increase in passenger capacity to 20 million per year were announced by concessionaires from the French investment fund Meridiam. The new building will be at Terminal 2, with which they will have a warm connection. The terminal will have an area of ??65,000 square meters, the plans are for construction to start in April 2026 and to be put into operation in April 2031. The goals are that this transformation of the capital airport will give it a 5-star SkyTrax certification. the first for a regional airport in Europe. According to the operator of the airport "SOF Connect", the concessionaire's investments in the airport will total BGN 1.2 billion for the duration of the concession, which is 35 years.
Source: 24 chasa (11.09.2024)

Sofia Airport launched the new parking lots with over 1000 spaces Sofia Airport is putting into operation new open-air parking lots with a capacity of over 1,000 spaces. The facilities are located on an area of ??25,000 sq. m. and include spaces for cars of people with limited mobility and charging stations for electric vehicles. The project is worth over 7 million leva. P3 or standard parking has been operating for a month and is suitable for both short-term and long-term stays. P4 or the economy parking lot has also been opened, which will be a budget solution for longer stays. P5 is the parking lot for short-term stops when meeting and sending off passengers, and P8 is specialized for buses that come to meet large groups. The multi-storey covered parking lot is already closed for major repairs. It will also be carried out by Glavbolgarstroy Holding, and the project is worth 25 million leva.
Source: actualno.com (27.11.2024)

The ten-year deferral for payment of concession fees, which Sof Connect received in the spring of 2021, will not be canceled for now. An analysis shows that the deviation between the forecasts in the Sofia Airport concessionaire's offer for the two indicators - passenger flow and financial forecasts - has not been restored to pre-pandemic levels, says Minister of Transport Krasimira Stoyanova. Last year, it became clear that Sof Connect owes concession fees in the amount of over 79 million euros (over 154.8 million leva) for the first three years of the 35-year concession term alone. The fees will be paid in two equal installments only in the period 2046 - 2048 precisely because of the deferral granted by the Boyko Borisov government in the spring of 2021 due to the pandemic and reduced passenger flow. Then, Sof Connect paid only the initial concession fee of BGN 660 million. It is not clear why the relevant department did not remove the deferral of payment of fees, considering that in 2023, passenger traffic was restored to 2019 levels, before the start of the pandemic. The data show that over 7.2 million passengers were served by the airport in 2023. Compared to 2022, this is an increase of 1 million. Before the pandemic - in 2019 - over 7.1 million passengers were served. For the past 2024, the airport served over 7.9 million passengers, which is an increase of over 710 thousand trips compared to 2023. According to Minister Stoyanova, however, passenger traffic is not the only factor that has a bearing on the concession and fees. It indicates that, according to the supplementary agreement, the relevant department and the General Directorate of Civil Aviation Administration (DG CAA) monitor the effects of the pandemic on the implementation of the concession contract every year, and this monitoring is applied throughout the entire one-year period. The level of passenger traffic is monitored compared to that indicated in the concessionaire's offer (forecasts made before the onset of the pandemic), as well as financial indicators, such as total revenues, the rate of return on investment, its ability to generate profits, etc. The annual monitoring contains a comparison between the actual traffic data and the financial indicators of the concession and their values ????specified in the concessionaire's offer before COVID-19. The analysis of the past three monitoring periods since the concession start date (2021, 2022 and 2023) shows that the deviation between the concessionaire's bid forecasts for the two indicators, passenger flow and financial forecasts, have not been restored to pre-pandemic levels. Minister Stoyanova assures that the deferred annual concession fees are due and will be paid by the concessionaire together with the envisaged concession fees, which will be due for each of the last 10 years of the concession term.
Source: economic.bg (14.01.2025)

The Aviation Training Center of SOF Connect, the operator of Sofia Airport, has received accreditation from the Airports Association of the World (ACI). Thus, the Center is the only one in Bulgaria that will now train aviation specialists from all over the world under ACI programs. The Aviation Training Center of Sofia Airport joins the elite group of 21 accredited ACI training hubs in the world, including those of leading European airports such as Munich, Istanbul and Athens. The Center will organize and conduct, together with the Airports Association of the World and with lecturers provided by them, all training courses from the ACI portfolio, as well as develop programs to enhance the competencies of experts in the aviation sector. The SOF Connect Training Center is licensed by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation Administration and conducts various courses in security, cargo and ground operations, passenger service, safety, etc. With the international accreditation, the Aviation Training Center of Sofia Airport will train specialists from both the region and the world
Source: economy.bg (30.01.2025)

SOF Connect and Veolia Solutions Bulgaria have signed a three-year contract for the comprehensive maintenance of the buildings at the Sofia airport. As a global leader in the management of water, energy and multi-technical services, Veolia will also provide expert maintenance of the building systems. Veolia Solutions Bulgaria will implement the most advanced technologies for monitoring and management of maintenance, including its specialized software system for facility management CAFM (Computer Aided Facility Management), which will ensure fast and effective management of all activities for servicing the terminal buildings and infrastructure. Veolia has proven experience in managing airport infrastructures around the world - airports in Romania, Greece, the UK, the Middle East, including in Varna and Burgas.
Source: economy.bg (27.02.2025)

The concessionaire of Sofia Airport – “Sof Connect” – will have to start paying its concession fees from the beginning of next year, announced the Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadjov. For the last 20 years, the state-owned operator of the airport has paid 88.6 million euros to the state, which is 4.5 million euros per year. Shortly after the start of the concession, in the spring of 2021, the then-outgoing government of Boyko Borisov voted for a 10-year postponement of the concession fees due to the reduced passenger flow. “Sof Connect” owes concession fees in the amount of over 79 million euros (over 154.8 million leva) for the first three years of the 35-year concession alone. They must be paid in two equal installments only in the period 2046-2048. The concessionaire will pay in the manner stipulated when the concession was signed in 2020. At that time, a minimum fixed amount of just over 24.5 million euros was fixed, or 32% of the total concession revenues for the relevant year. Thus, the concessionaire pays the larger of the two amounts each year. If 32% of the revenues exceed the fixed amount, the percentage is charged. Otherwise, the fixed minimum fee is paid. If a new agreement is actually signed to regulate the new payments from next year, the deferral granted by GERB in 2021 will be for only 5 years, not 10. Most likely, the amounts due for these 5 years will be paid during the last 5 years of the concession.
Source: economic.bg (13.06.2025)

The Civil Aviation Administration Directorate General has discovered shortcomings in the work of the ground operators serving the airports in Sofia, Varna and Burgas - SOF Connect AD, Swissport Bulgaria AD, GoldAir Handling Bulgaria OOD and Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD. The findings include insufficient hygiene in the buses, failure to use the function for lowering the floor (low level) when boarding and disembarking passengers, failure to use the air conditioning systems in the buses, lack of information in the event of a delay in the departure of the bus to the aircraft. The Civil Aviation Administration Directorate General will impose the maximum sanctions provided for in the law on the four ground operators - up to 500 leva.
Source: 24 chasa (17.06.2025)

The concessionaire of Sofia Airport "SOF Connect" is not inclined to start paying its concession fees early from the beginning of 2026, in connection with the government's intentions to request the company to resume the payment of concession fees after they were suspended for a period of 10 years during the covid pandemic. In 2021, the then Minister of Transport Rosen Zhelyazkov, in the last days of the third cabinet of Boyko Borisov, exempted the concessionaire of Sofia Airport from paying fees to the state for a period of 10 years due to the covid pandemic, which for a certain period of time led to the interruption of flights in Europe and almost the entire world. Shortly before that, the government had concluded a 35-year concession agreement with "SOF Connect". At that time, it was estimated that the 10-year postponement of concession payments by the operator of Sofia Airport would not enter the budget by a total of 245 million euros. Now, according to the government, travel and passenger numbers have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, as well as the total revenues of the concessionaire "SOF Connect", which is why they expect it to start paying its concession fees 5 years earlier than the planned 10-year period. According to the executive director of "SOF Connect" Jesus Caballero, however, despite the change in passenger flow and the presence of a jump over the result before the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, its impact is present and the company is suffering losses. Nearly 600 million leva have been paid in advance and investments of 72 million euros have been made, instead of the planned 43 million euros, which is 29 million euros more than planned for the first 5 years of the contract.
Source: Sega (07.08.2025)

Bulgarian company to build solar power plant at Sofia Airport The concessionaire of the capital's Vasil Levski Airport - SOF Connect - has signed a contract for the construction of a photovoltaic power plant with the Bulgarian company Hydropower Company (HEC), which will build the facility on the airport's own land. The project, with a capacity of nearly 5 megawatts, is the first major step towards realizing the airport's ambitious goal of complete climate neutrality by 2036. The plant will cover an area of ??about 50 thousand square meters and will be equipped with over 8,300 solar panels. SOF Connect plans to build an entire photovoltaic park with a capacity of 20 megawatts, which will be completed by 2033 and will be able to cover a large part of the airport's needs. In the longer term, the construction of battery facilities to store the generated energy is also planned. According to preliminary plans, the first 5 megawatts should be installed by the end of 2026. "Hydroenergy Company" AD is a Bulgarian company headquartered in Blagoevgrad, founded in 2006. Its main activity is the construction and operation of renewable energy facilities - initially hydropower plants, and subsequently photovoltaic parks in our country and abroad. Its first solar power plant was built in 2010, and to date, over 160 photovoltaic power plants have been built in 21 countries around the world. The company is managed by Ivan Chapov, Manol Chapov and "HK Struma Stroy" Ltd. As of 2023, the company has generated revenues of over 40 million leva and reported a net profit of 178 thousand leva.
Source: economic.bg (23.09.2025)

Construction work on Terminal 3 at Sofia Airport "Vasil Levski" is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2026 and is expected to last 5 years, until April 2031, when the construction deadline is set. The expansion of Sofia Airport "Vasil Levski" is expected to open 34 gates to accommodate 20 million passengers. Half of them will be at the new Terminal 3, announced SOF Connect - operator of Vasil Levski Airport. The expansion of Sofia Airport with a third terminal will give Bulgaria a strategic advantage. With it, it will have the largest ground capacity in this part of Europe and will position itself in a regional hub. The investment amounts to BGN 500 million. Part of the financing is provided by international financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank. Once Terminal 3 is built and ready to merge with Terminal 2, Terminal 1 is set to close.
Source: Duma (26.09.2025)

Over 40 companies have expressed interest in the construction of Terminal 3 and the modernization of Terminal 2 at Vasil Levski Airport - Sofia, announced Jesus Caballero, CEO of SOF Connect. The scope of the tender procedure includes the design and construction of a new Terminal 3 with an area of ??60,000 sq. m, which will be connected to the existing Terminal 2 building and increase the annual passenger capacity from seven million passengers to 20 million passengers. This includes new areas for arriving and departing passengers, a centralized "Security" checkpoint, offices and service premises for airport users, a passenger wing, and commercial areas. The modernization of the existing Terminal 2 building with an area of ??72,000 sq m is planned. The activities include the expansion of the retail areas in both the public and post-Security areas, the conversion of the existing passenger processing areas into offices and auxiliary premises for airport users, and the repair and renovation of the existing airport systems.
Source: Darik Radio (22.10.2025)

For almost a year now, the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the concessionaire of the Sofia Airport "SOF Connect" have been negotiating the payment of the concession fee. The revenue from concessions for 2026 in the budget of the Ministry of Transport is 59.4 million euros. A significant part of them is from the full concession fee of "Vasil Levski" Airport. "SOF Connect" received a 10-year deferral for the payment of the concession fee due to the coronavirus pandemic in the last days of the Boyko Borissov government in the spring of 2021. The Sofia Airport reported significantly better indicators for 2024 than the pre-COVID 2019 - more passengers and aircraft served and an increase in revenue. "SOF Connect" paid an advance of over 660 million leva to the state for the 35-year concession. For the first 5 years, the concessionaire had to invest 72 million euros. No information has been publicly presented on how much money the company has invested so far. According to the signed concession agreement, the remuneration is 32% of the total revenues for the respective value or just over 24.5 million euros per year, depending on which of the two values ??is higher. Due to the crisis in the aviation industry caused by the coronavirus, SOF Connect received a deferral for the payment of about 250 million euros - the concession fee for the first 10 years. This amount will have to be paid in the last 10 years of the contract, i.e. payment to begin in 2046. Last year it became clear that for the first three years of the concession, SOF Connect owes over 79 million euros to the state, which will be paid in two equal installments in the period 2046 - 2048. It is expected that by the end of the year the concessionaire will say whether it is willing to begin paying a concession fee and in what amount from 2026.
Source: mediapool.bg (20.11.2025)

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting the financial sustainability of Sofia Airport by investing in the first bond issue of SOF Connect AD, the airport operator. The bank has subscribed a total of EUR 50 million through two senior bonds issued by SOF Connect, as part of a EUR 450 million financing package that includes refinancing bonds, CAPEX bonds and a CAPEX loan. The bonds are listed on Euronext Dublin, which is the first issuance of this type of debt instrument by a Bulgarian entity. SOF Connect has been operating Sofia Airport since 2021 under a long-term concession agreement. This is the largest concession in the country’s transport sector and the first major public-private partnership undertaken in more than two decades. SOF Connect is owned by French infrastructure investor Meridiam, an asset manager specializing in the development, financing and management of infrastructure public-private partnerships, and an existing client of the EBRD. The Bank has a long history of helping to structure public-private partnerships in its economies. It supported the Bulgarian government in the concession process for Sofia Airport in 2020, contributed to the debt package in 2021 and later acquired an indirect equity stake. As a major institutional investor in Bulgaria, the EBRD has invested over ˆ5 billion in 320 projects to date.
Source: Banker (19.05.2026)

Sofia Airport concessionaire SOF Connect won the tender for the management of the capital's airport with one main commitment - to build a new Terminal 3. Its construction should begin within a few months and should be operational by April 19, 2031. The goal is to increase the annual passenger service capacity from 7 to 20 million. SOF Connect entered the airport operationally five years ago. The investment for the entire concession period of 35 years should reach 600 million euros. Now SOF Connect has also reached the financial part of the task, organizing financing for about 450 million euros. The resource was raised through a combination of bank loans and a bond issue with a 22-year maturity. The bonds for 180 million euros are listed on Euronext Dublin, and the financing will be used in three tranches until 2031. The first one has now been taken - the bond, which covers old liabilities. Then, apparently, the bank loans will also be used, which will be mainly for the new terminal and the renovation of the current Terminal 2. 11 international financial groups are participating in the financing, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development - EBRD, Allianz Group, Alpha Bank, M&G Investment, National Bank of Greece, Unicredit Bulbank, etc. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced that they have subscribed a total of 50 million euros in two issues of senior bonds issued by SOF Connect, as part of the financial package of 450 million euros. "SOF Connect" is owned by the French infrastructure investor Meridiam, a management company specializing in the development, financing and management of infrastructure public-private partnerships and an existing client of the EBRD. The bank is also a minority shareholder in the airport through its participation in Meridiam investment structures. In April, a slight change in the ownership structure of SOF Connect took place and the company is now solely owned by Meridiam Eastern Europe Investments SAS, while previously two other companies of the group - Meridiam Infrastructure Europe III S.L.P and Meridiam Investments SAS - each held 0.01%. London-based M&G also invested EUR 70 million in SOF Connect. M&G is one of the largest investors in airport debt with around GBP 1.1 billion in debt held in airport operators worldwide. The funds will be used for refinancing and investments. The secured bonds are worth 180 million euros with a yield of 5.502% and mature in 2048. The bonds bear interest from May 12, 2026. The company's financial liabilities at the end of 2025 show bank loans of 340 million leva (174 million euros). Among the creditors are EBRD, Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, Kommunalkredit Austria AG, Societe Generale, Unicredit Bulbank, DSK Bank. "SOF connect" fulfilled its commitments under the first five-year investment plan (2021 - 2025) with investments in the amount of over 91.5 million euros. The investments included the construction of new open-air parking lots, major renovation of the Terminal 2 multi-storey car park, airport rehabilitation activities, modernization of the fuel fleet, ongoing works related to the replacement of the Terminal 2 baggage handling system, new retail outlets and upgrading of information and communication systems and infrastructure. In the next five years, under the second five-year plan, the minimum commitment is for 183.1 million euros of investments for the period 2026 - 2030. Terminal 3 was announced to cost 230 million euros, with an additional 25 million euros planned for equipment. The technical design for Terminal 3 has already been prepared, and the construction permit is expected to be issued in the summer of 2026.
Source: Capital (26.05.2026)

The wrong actions and inactions of ministers are costing taxpayers dearly. Another case is a dispute between "Hemus Air" from the TIM group and the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTS) for 20 acres at Sofia Airport. The dispute has already been resolved in court - in favor of the air carrier, which will receive nearly 12 million euros from the budget. The amount was allocated at a meeting of the Radev cabinet. In 1994, the carrier "Hemus Air" received from the state the right to use 20 acres of land at Sofia Airport free of charge (for a period of 30 years). Meanwhile, in 2020-2021, the procedure for the concession of the airport is completed. The Ministry of Transport, then led by Rosen Zhelyazkov, "overslept" on the fact that there were areas that should be excluded from the concession, because "Hemus Air" had the right to use them until 2024. And when at the end of April 2021 the "Sof Connect" consortium took over the management of the airport, it also received the areas in question. Days earlier, in early April, "Hemus Air" concluded a lease agreement with another company from the TIM group - "Bulgaria Air Maintenance". After realizing that the acres were already part of the concession and had no access to them, the tenant quickly withdrew from the contract. In 2023, "Hemus Air" filed a lawsuit for property damages - lost profits from the failed lease agreement. And it won - the Supreme Administrative Court ordered the state to pay the airline over 16 million leva in principal. If it had access to the land, Hemus Air would have received 16.27 million leva under the lease agreement, the court found. The compensation also includes the statutory interest until the payment of the amount. Thus, the inaction of the Borisov cabinet in 2021 on this specific case costs 12 million euros per 2026 budget.
Source: Sega (21.08.2026)

Ground operators are the companies responsible for passenger check-in, baggage handling, final gate passage, aircraft servicing such as loading and unloading baggage, pushing, de-icing (the process of removing or thawing snow), etc. For this purpose, they conclude contracts with various airlines. As of this year, there is a new company at Sofia Airport - "Aviapartner Bulgaria", owned by the Belgian Aviation Ground Handling Services, with Bulgaria now included in the Aviapartner group of locations, specialized in the activity and founded in 1949. Sofia Airport, represented by the concessionaire "SOF Connect", has practically exited its ground handling business (it was one of the three operators to date with a 17% market share in ground handling according to the company's latest report). And the airline clients and employees have been transferred to the new player. Aviapartner's clients include British Airways, Israeli EL AL and Israir, Polish Enter Air, Ukrainian Wind Rose, Turkish Pegasus Airlines and Onur Air, German Eurowings, Bulgarian European Air Charter and VBB (Alk), as well as SunExpress, a joint venture of Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines. For clients, the player will compete with the other two operators - Swissport Bulgaria (51% of the Swiss company of the same name and 49% of the Chimimport group) and the Greek-based company Goldair Handling. Aviapartner Bulgaria includes ground handling, an airline ticket sales agency, bus transport between terminals, activities related to passengers with reduced mobility (PRM), and a number of other services. Aviapartner Bulgaria now has a staff of about 200 people, approximately 70% women and 30% men. The sole owner of Aviapartner Bulgaria's capital is Aviation Ground Handling Services, Belgium. In November 2024, Aviation Ground Handling Services CA was attracted as an investor in Omega Aviation. It now bears the name "AviaVIP Bulgaria", with the Belgian company having 60% and the remaining 40% belonging to Tony Totov, which is the business aviation brand. On January 23, 2026, "Aviapartner Bulgaria" received a license for ground handling at "Vasil Levski" Airport - Sofia. "Aviapartner" has been developing steadily since its establishment in 1949 and today we are present in the six largest markets in the European Union, which together represent over 70% of the total EU-27 market. AviaVIP is "Aviapartner's" business aviation brand. Aviapartner is a Belgian company with headquarters near Brussels Airport. It is one of the independent providers of such services in Europe and operates at 78 airports in Europe and Africa. It was founded in 1949. To date, it has operations in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Estonia, Angola and South Africa. It employs over 18,000 people and serves more than 120 million passengers annually. The company offers a wide range of services to over 500 passenger and cargo airlines. Globally, the company provides ramp service for around 800,000 aircraft movements annually, handles approximately 300,000 tons of air cargo and operates airport business lounges at 7 European airports. AviaVIP is a member of the Aviapartner Group and operates one of the largest networks of this type of business in Europe, with 66 locations. The latest report on the activities of "SOF connect" shows that in ground operations the company had 17.3% of the market, with the other two having a much more serious presence. Swissport Bulgaria's clients are Bulgaria Air, Air Serbia, Corendon Airlines; Qatar Airways (at least until recently), Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss - LX. Swissport, based in Switzerland, has been operating at Sofia Airport since 2007. In 2013, Chimimport, through its aviation division Bulgarian Airways Group, bought a minority stake in Swissport Bulgaria. Goldair Handling serves the low-cost major clients Easy Jet, Wizz Air and Ryanair, as well as Turkish Airlines, Aeroflot, Olympic Air, LOT, TAROM, Fly Dubai and BH Air.
Source: Capital (24.08.2026)

Sofia Airport operator SOF Connect and the world leader in luxury aviation services Jetex have signed an agreement for the development and management of the VIP lounge at the capital’s airport. This partnership marks Jetex’s entry into the Eastern European market and is part of the strategy to transform Sofia into a modern regional aviation hub, the company announced. The new VIP lounge, called Jetex Sofia, will be located in the west wing of Terminal 1. It will have a separate entrance and elegantly furnished lounges that will offer passengers the brand’s distinctive hospitality and high level of service. Jetex Sofia is expected to welcome over 30,000 passengers in 2027, with the goal of providing them with an experience comparable to flying on a private jet. The services will be tailored to the individual needs of customers and will include: Personalized service, Access for private aviation passengers and Premium services for scheduled airline travelers. Jetex operates a global network of over 40 private terminals in key destinations around the world, including cities such as Paris, London, Istanbul, Milan, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Marrakech and Singapore.
Source: Darik Radio (25.08.2026)

21 tourism companies, municipalities and organizations have applied to participate in the international tourism exhibition WTM London 2026, which will be held in the period 3-5 November 2026 at the ExCeL London exhibition center, the Ministry of Tourism announced. Our country will be represented with a national stand with an area of ??399 sq. m. Within the framework of the national presentation, the diverse opportunities for tourism in Bulgaria will be promoted, with an emphasis on sea and winter tourism, cultural and educational, balneo, SPA and wellness, adventure, wine and culinary tourism, as well as the rich cultural and historical heritage, natural resources and opportunities for year-round tourist experiences. Currently, the following companies have confirmed their participation at the national stand: Avatar Tour Ltd., Aitawr Development EAD /Sofia Marriott Hotel/, Balkan Pro Travel Ltd., Bohemia Ltd., Boyana-MG Ltd. – Sofia, Inter Holiday Service Ltd., Club Magellan Ltd., Quendoo Ltd., Belogradchik Municipality, Varna Municipality, Plovdiv Municipality, Samokov Municipality, Municipal Enterprise "Tourism", Sofia Municipality, P Group Plovdiv Ltd., Rila Travel Ltd., Rual Travel Ltd., Sandrose Holidays Ltd., City Hotel Management Ltd., SOF Connect Ltd., Tandem Travel Ltd. and Tsarevgrad Tarnov Ltd. A total of 5 tourism companies, municipalities and organizations have confirmed their participation at the information stand for the international tourism exhibition ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET, which will be held in the period 14–17 September 2026. These are Bohemia Ltd., M.B.S. Trade AD, Orange Tour OOD, Sirma Group AD, Sofia Municipality, Municipal Enterprise "Tourism". From September 15 to 17, 2026, the international tourism exhibition IFTM Top Resa will be held in Paris, and 7 tourism companies, municipalities and organizations have confirmed participation in the information stand: Balkan Pro Travel EOOD, Balkania Tour OOD, Bohemia OOD, Enjoy Prime Tours EOOD, Varna Municipality, Rual Travel OOD, Sofia Municipality, Municipal Enterprise "Tourism".
Source: Company information (26.08.2026)

The official opening ceremony of the New Baggage Handling System at Terminal 2 of Sofia Airport “Vasil Levski” will be on September 2, 2026. The system represents a key stage in the modernization of the airport and its technological development. Implemented with the most advanced technologies of Alstef and Leidos, it increases the capacity for processing checked baggage from 400 to 3,200 pieces of baggage per hour and is designed to serve the airport’s future capacity of 20 million passengers per year after the construction of Terminal 3 in 2031. and the modernization of Terminal 2. Its commissioning will have an immediate positive effect on the activities of ground operators, airlines and, above all, passengers. SOF Connect’s total investment in the project amounts to 15 million euros and is part of the long-term strategy for transforming Sofia Airport “Vasil Levski” into a modern regional aviation hub.
Source: Company information (01.09.2026)

The capital's airport has begun construction of its own photovoltaic power plant SOF Connect has begun construction of a 5 MW photovoltaic power plant at Sofia Airport. The facility is being built on airport-owned land and will generate electricity for internal consumption. The plant will feature 8,300 solar modules covering an area of ??approximately 50,000 square meters and will include a real-time monitoring and control system. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of the year, with a battery storage system planned for a subsequent phase. Hydroenergiyna Kompaniya AD is the project contractor. The airport is the first in Bulgaria to achieve Level 4 ("Transformation") accreditation under the international Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program.
Source: econ.bg (11.09.2026)

Sofia Airport handled a record number of passengers in August 2026, according to data from the concessionaire SOF Connect. During the busiest month of the summer season, 853,233 passengers passed through the airport's terminals—the highest monthly figure recorded since 2019. It was the best month in the airport's recent history. By comparison, 766,901 passengers were handled in August 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 86,332 people, or approximately 11.3%. The growth is even more pronounced when compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, when the airport handled 674,443 passengers in August; thus, August 2026 saw nearly 179,000 more passengers—an increase of about 26.5% over 2019 levels. From January through August 2026, 5.96 million passengers passed through the capital's airport. During the same period in 2025, the figure was approximately 5.51 million, marking an 8.1% annual increase. Aircraft movements totaled 47,217 for the first eight months of 2026, compared to 45,182 in the same period of 2025 and 41,258 in 2019. This represents a year-on-year growth of approximately 4.5% and an increase of over 14% compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019. The growth in passenger traffic is outpacing the growth in the number of aircraft movements. In August 2026, for instance, there was an average of approximately 133 passengers per aircraft movement, compared to around 125 a year earlier. This indicates that the rise in passenger traffic is not solely attributable to an increase in the number of flights; the data also reflects a higher average load factor for aircraft movements. Data for 2025 reveals the busiest international routes from Sofia. London is the clear leader, with 357,674 departing passengers from "Vasil Levski" Airport, followed by Vienna (216,000), Istanbul (204,349), and Frankfurt (173,638). Milan, Tel Aviv, Rome, Munich, Barcelona, ??and Varna also feature in the top 10. The growth in passenger traffic holds direct economic significance for the capital's airport, which is managed by the concessionaire SOF Connect. The concessionaire assumed management of the airport in April 2021 for a 35-year term. Subsequently, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government negotiated a deferral for a portion of the concession payments, thereby postponing the fixed annual concession fee for a specific period. As early as 2025, the Ministry of Transport and Communications insisted that the Sofia Airport concessionaire begin paying the full concession fee starting January 1, 2026, given that the passenger volume of 8.4 million in 2025 significantly exceeded the pre-pandemic figure of 7.1 million recorded in 2019. Nevertheless, the concessionaire continues to benefit from the 10-year payment deferral approved by the "Borisov 3" cabinet. This issue is particularly relevant in light of current traffic data. Throughout 2025, the capital's airport handled over 8.4 million passengers—well above the 7.1 million seen in 2019. Thus, in 2026, Sofia Airport continues to set new passenger traffic records, even as the state anticipates the resumption of concession payments.
Source: money.bg (15.09.2026)