RYANAIR FINALLY FLYING TO BULGARIA?

Rumours, rumours, rumours.

This one has been floating around for a while now…

1: Location

Half of Bulgaria’s population live within an hour and a half of Plodiv airport. It has 2 major ski resorts a short distance away as well. The Trakia Highway is continuing to expand and in a few years it’ll reach Bourgas.

2: Ownership

The EU is rather touchy about State owned airports and their municipalities subsidizing the arrival of new airlines which has the knock on effect of stimulating the economy of the immediate surrounding area. However when airports are not in State hands it’s a rather different story. Plovdiv Airport, as far as we understand, is not operated on concession so is therefore not under direct State influence.

3:Logistics

The low cost model is new in Eastern Europe. The reason Ryanair don’t fly into Bulgaria at the moment may have to do with logistics. It’s a three hour flight there and three hour flight back. The best that they’ll be able to do is 4 journeys a day. This is viable, as long as they’re not giving away flights for one euro. And there’s no need to give away flights that cheap when there is no competition!

So it could finally be on the cards. We’ll keep our ear to the ground.

Newly renovated Plodiv airport

Watch this space.