Doubled Sofia

[IMG=20963-6793]Certain changes are to be adopted on the Bulgarian destination. It mainly refers to Sofia where PAC Group plans to launch a VIM-avia Boeing – 757 charter. Travel market players point out that in order to organize this charter it is necessary to obtain approval of Aeroflot and Bulgaria Air. Both airlines operate scheduled flights to Sofia and are appointed airlines by intergovernmental agreements. Alexander Morozov, Head of Charter Department of PAC Group, stated as follows: ‘we are dealing with this at the moment and hope we will get the required permission. PAC Group clients will fly by our charter. Therefore, it will not affect Aeroflot and Bulgaria Air scheduled flights’. The precedent was created last year when ICS Travel Group could ‘break’ the monopoly of national airlines and operated a charter by Atlant-Soyuz from December 30th to March 12th. Meanwhile, Dmitry Filatovsky, Development Director of ICS, said: ‘we plan to continue our charter program in this season. Sofia is in high demand of those who travel to ski resorts’. Thus, the capital of Bulgaria is becoming more and more available for charter flights. Besides, it is not excluded that other tour operators will follow the example of ICS and PAC Group. Furthermore, travel market experts point out that some tourists will prefer charters to Sofia that might affect air traffic to Plovdiv that is planned to be kept at the level of last year – flights to the destination will be consolidated by CAPITAL TOUR (Transaero) and Travel Agency of S7 Airlines.