A significant rearrangement of the cards in the aviation business is expected in the next few months in Bulgaria. An appreciation of tickets and increases in the cost for the carriers will be the logical consequence of the administrative measures imposed by the government, as some airlines will be more favoured than others. The changes prepared by the Ministry of Finance and Transport were released last week for public comment. They directly affect the largest airport in Bulgaria – Sofia, which is managed by the Sofia Airport JSC.
If adjustments are adopted in their current form (which is almost certain) each passenger on international flights through Terminal 2 will pay 11 euros, and one through Terminal 1 – 6 euros. Domestic passengers through both terminals both will cost 4.4 euros. Children from 2 to 12 years old will be charged at 50 % and those of up to 2 years of age will be free of charge. There is an interesting category called: carriers contributing to the development of the transfer passenger traffic through Sofia Airport. There is no clear explanation what kind of a category that is, but those who fail managed to fall within its range will receive a 45% fee reduction on each passenger.
Separately, the use of passenger boarding sleeves at terminals will be paid additinally. For the first one hour it will cost 95 euros and after then: 34 euros per every 15 minutes. A security charge will be introduced, which will be due from each departing passenger or one doing a transfer. There is however a grace period: until March 31, 2014 the sum will be 8 euros, and then – 10.2 euros.
It is na?ve to think that all of these costs will be borne by the airlines – they will obviously make people pay more.
Each airplane up to 25 tonnes landing at Sofia airport, will pay 14.3 euros per tonne of mass, and those weighing up to 65 tonnes will pay 12 euros per tonne and those in the category up to 100 tonnes will pay 10.1 euros while the larest ones – those above this limit – will be charged at 9.90 euros per tonne. In general these tariffs would apply to all flights, whether on international or domestic routes. However, the companies that provide regular services within the country will enjoy a discount of 80 percent. At the same time preferences will be use also by regular customers at the airport. If in a year an airline makes 5000 courses from and to Sofia, it will receive a 3 percent discount, those having 7000 takeoffs and landings will get a discount of 5 percent, and if one exceeds 10 thousand flights – the discounts will be 10 percent.
With the idea to attract new customers Sofia airport will provide other benefits. For a new regular year-round route outside Europe for the first two years the company will get a discount of 99 percent of the landing fee, for the third year the reduction will be 80 percent, 50 percent for the fourth one and only for the fifth year will it fall to 20 percent.
The BANKER
