Sofia Airport Boasts 4.6% Increase in Passengers Y/Y in Q1, 2015

Sofia Airport serviced a total of 866 786 arriving and departing passengers in the first three months of 2015, up by 4.6% on the year, according to a media statement of the airport.

A total of 792 712 passengers traveled on international scheduled flights, up by 6% on the year.

The good results were achieved thanks to the contribution of Wizz Air, Air Serbia, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Qatar Airways, and LOT Polish Airlines.

A total of 26 425 passengers traveled on domestic flights, down by 850 on the year.

The number of tourists participating in organized trips keeps decreasing as a result of the increased number of direct flights to Sofia Airport, including ones operated by low-cost carriers.

The number of passengers using chartered flights to and from Sofia Airport in the period January - March 2015 reached 43 710, down by 15% on the year.

A total of 9834 planes landed at and departed from Sofia Airport in the first quarter of 2015, compared to a total of 9428 in Q1, 2014.

The increase was mainly due to scheduled flights to international destinations, where the share of foreign air carriers reached 72%.

The number of flights to domestic destinations increased by 6.9% on the year, reaching 403.

The negative trend in the segment of tourist charters remained in place, while in the segment of cargo flights there was a consolidation of the aircraft fleet amid a reduced number of flights.

In the first three months of 2015 Sofia Airport processed a total of 4122 tonnes of cargo and postal shipments, up by 2.2% from the same period of 2014.

The major share of the cargo (55%) was transported on cargo planes and the total volumes in this segment increased by 11% on the year.