Fraport Twin Star inaugurates new terminal at Burgas Airport on Bulgaria’s Black sea coast

Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD celebrated the official opening of its new passenger terminal today at Burgas Airport (BOJ) on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Operations at the new terminal are expected to start within the next few weeks. In tandem with Burgas Airport, Fraport Twin Star – majority-owned by Fraport AG – also manages Varna Airport (VAR) where a new terminal went into operation in August 2013.

Commenting on the new BOJ terminal, Fraport AG’s chief financial officer Dr. Matthias Zieschang said: “Today, we are proud to be launching a new era at Burgas Airport. Fraport Twin Star’s two aviation gateways now feature state-of-art passenger facilities to strengthen the international competitiveness and future growth opportunities of the vital Bulgarian tourism industry – and ultimately the country’s economy as a whole. The southern gateway to the Black Sea tourist region, Burgas Airport welcomed almost 2.5 million passengers during the first 10 months of 2013 – a 4.5 percent increase year-on-year. In 2012, BOJ received a total of 2.4 million passengers.

Fraport Twin Star Management AD’s CEO Aletta von Massenbach said: “Along with more amenities and comfort for our customers, the new Burgas terminal offers tremendous operational flexibility for responding to high traffic seasonality and future potential accession to the Schengen Area. Our goal with this new facility is to maintain the holiday feeling and enhance the overall travel experience. Bulgaria has an amazing diversity of natural, historic and cultural attractions that are just beginning to be discovered by the rest of the world.”

Designed by the British-based architects Halcrow Group, Pascall + Watson in partnership with SavantElbul of Bulgaria, the 21,000-square-meter BOJ terminal integrates characteristic elements of Bulgarian nature and architecture. For example, the rose – which is a national symbol and cultural tradition – is used in the design. The terminal is equipped with 31 check-in counters, 3 boarding-card checkpoints; 9 security lanes and 8 departure gates. The arrivals area (divided into Schengen and non-Schengen zones) has 12 immigration stations and 4 baggage carousels (one 120-meter-long and three 70-meter-long carousels). Passenger amenities include 800 square meters of space dedicated to shopping and 1,220 square meters for food and beverage services. An outdoor 550 square-meter courtyard is another attractive facility for passengers.

Famous for its Black Sea beach resorts, Bulgaria is now developing year-round tourism for culture, skiing, golf, hiking and spa treatments. With a fascinating history stretching back thousands of years, Bulgaria also boasts many historic treasures such as the Nessebar UNESCO World Heritage Site near Burgas (www.ancient-nessebar.com): founded over 3,200 years ago and one of the oldest towns in Europe. BOJ is situated on a scenic bay on the Black Sea about 10 kilometers northeast of the city of Burgas – a major rail junction and the nation’s busiest port, which has also become a leading destination for cruise ships touring the Black Sea. Furthermore, BOJ is not far from the E87 international motorway and the Trans European Transportation Corridor № 8 that connects the Adriatic and Black sea regions.