Lower airport fees and offering a 5-star service. These are among the main priorities of the concessionaire of the “Sofia“ airport. to attract more airlines, and hence to increase the number of air carriers and customers.
„One of the pillars of our strategy is to become the most efficient airport in the region, to have the lowest airport fees compared to all state capitals in Europe. This is how the airport should be designed so that the prices for the stay are as low as possible and the infrastructure is at a reasonable price. It is important to have a balance between service and price," said Jesus Caballero, CEO of SOF Connect.
The aim is to offer a mix of competitive services at competitive prices so that airlines, when choosing which airport to fly through, choose Sofia.
The fact that Bulgaria, respectively Sofia Airport” occupies a strategic geographical position. “Even now, if we can accept the A380 (note ed. the largest passenger plane in the world) we can provide distant destinations. The more different types of aircraft can land at Sofia Airport, the more destinations can be served, Caballero added. Also, Sofia is located up to 3 hours away by plane from any European point.
The strong competition at the new airport in Istanbul should not be forgotten. However, Sofia has a new strong advantage, namely the entry of the country into the Schengen area. There are many customers who will prefer to travel through Sofia precisely because of this fact.
The main tasks through the "Sofia" airport concessionaire; are:
Improving the connectivity of “Sofia“ airport not only with Europe, but with the whole world. Turning the airport into a regional hub with as few stops as possible.
Increasing destinations. “But that happens if we attract more carriers. We have planned 120 additional destinations, which we can realize if we attract partners”, Caballero specified.
Maximizing the fact that Bulgaria has 4 seasons. In the winter, city tourism can be developed, and in the warm spring and autumn, as well as in the summer, the airport “Sofia“ can be used as a transfer to Burgas and Varna.
Currently, 30% of passengers passing through Sofia airport are for private trips. The percentage of business trips is growing – 25%.
With the construction of Terminal 3 and the transformation of the capital airport into a hub, Sofia Airport will become the largest in the Balkans after Athens Airport. Terminal 3 should be fully ready in 2031. It will have 15 gates, and some services such as check-in will remain on the territory of the current Terminal 2. The new baggage handling system will have the capacity to transport up to 2,400 suitcases per hour, and Terminal 3 will be able to serve over 3,000 passengers per hour. The airport will also have 10,000 square meters of commercial space – restaurants and shops. All this is part of the concept of creating a 5-star airport. Most importantly, Sofia Airport already has the two main mandatory elements to obtain such a status, namely an underground parking lot and a metro station.
Undoubtedly, the signed partnership between SOF Connect and the world leader in the field of air transport technologies will help achieve the goal – SITA. It is for the design and implementation of an advanced system for managing operations at Sofia Airport.
„By integrating SITA's world-class technologies over the next year and a half, we are increasing our ability to provide more efficient, innovative and passenger-centric services,” said Caballero.
„Airports today face the difficult task of balancing between providing smoother service, delivering a better passenger experience and pursuing sustainability goals. With SOF Connect, we are tackling these challenges together, using the best of SITA's technology to renew and optimize Sofia Airport, said Sergio Colella, SITA's Europe President.