site.btaDirectorate General Civil Aviation Administration Changes Passenger Transfer Procedure at Sofia Airport

A special operational procedure for transferring passengers to and from aircraft at Vasil Levski Airport in Sofia was introduced, the Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration said on Monday. 

The measure ends the previous practice of moving non-EU passengers through a jet bridge and then by bus to border control, the Ministry of Transport and Communications added in a press release.

The disembarkation from aircraft will now take place close to the jet bridge, with passengers boarding buses directly, while the aircraft themselves will be redirected to use jet bridges for departing flights. Implementation of the new procedure will be subject to a follow-up inspection by the Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration in the coming days.

As of June 23, Swissport Bulgaria’s licence for ground handling at Vasil Levski Airport in Sofia has been temporarily revoked. The measure will remain in force for up to two months, or until all recommendations are met and any identified non-compliances are addressed. This was confirmed by Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration Director Anelia Marinova.

The order will take effect 14 days after its official delivery, providing time for airlines with contracts with Swissport Bulgaria to reorganize their passenger services. The ministry explained that potential measures for a smooth transition were discussed at a working meeting on Monday between the Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration and representatives of all ground operators. Minimum quality standards are already in force and have been signed by all ground handling operators.

“Standards concerning passenger service were published yesterday on the Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration website. The agreement introduces a monitoring and control mechanism by the airport operator, who will notify the Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration to take immediate action if violations occur,” Marinova said.

Inspections at Sofia Airport will continue weekly, while at Varna and Burgas airports they will be held once a month. Plans also include introducing a system for monitoring passenger satisfaction, including easier options for filing alerts and complaints.

On Sunday, Karadjov said the licence of the ground handling operator at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport, Swissport Bulgaria, would be revoked in connection with the incident on June 20, some 300 passengers arriving from London were held for nearly an hour in an airbridge at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport after the ground-handling team from Swissport Bulgaria failed to open the terminal doors. Karadjov called for the resignation of the Chief Secretary of the Civil Aviation Administration over failure to comply with ministerial instructions.

Earlier spot checks at Sofia, Burgas and Varna airports had documented dirty buses, inoperative air-conditioning and discourteous staff. Karadjov has now ordered weekly inspections, a tenfold increase in penalty ceilings and the option of permanent licence revocations.