site.btaPlovdiv Airport to Open Regular Service to Bursa

A regular air service between the Turkish city of Bursa and Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria, will be launched from Plovdiv Airport by the end of the year. This was announced during a meeting of the airport’s development fund management, the Plovdiv City Hall said on Tuesday.

The Plovdiv Airport Development Fund was set up 10 years ago as a structure working to facilitate the development of the airport, attract more carriers and popularize nearby regions as tourist and business destinations. It was inoperable in the past couple of years. Now the airport development fund is trying to attract more municipalities to join in by the end of autumn. Talks have already been held with the mayors of nearby Pazardzhik, Velingrad, Kardzhali, Smolyan, Asenovgrad and Karlovo.

The Plovdiv City Hall is planning a tender to select an operator for a regular shuttle service from Plovdiv to the airport.

Apart from Bulgarian hoteliers, some of the largest organizations of businessmen and industrialists in Bursa, as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Municipality of Bursa have expressed their willingness to join the fund, said Plovdiv Airport Board of Directors, Doichin Angelov.

Plovdiv Mayor Zdravko Dimitrov said that the regular flights have already been discussed with Turkish representatives. To complete the negotiations, airport representatives are travelling to Ankara on Tuesday to meet with Turkish air carrier executives, civil aviation officials and the Turkish Transport Minister.