Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) has confirmed plans to open a base in Sofia, Bulgaria with effect from October 30 of this year.

Using a trio of B737-800s based out of the airport, the Irish LCC will commence flights to Athens, Barcelona El Prat, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, Berlin Schönefeld, Birmingham, GB, Brussels Charleroi, Castellón de la Plana Costa Azahar, Cologne/Bonn, Dublin International, Eindhoven, Glasgow International, Hamburg, Liverpool, Madrid Barajas, Memmingen, Milan Malpensa, Rome Ciampino, Stockholm Skavsta and Venice Marco Polo. Flights to London Stansted and Pisa are scheduled to begin later next month.

“We are pleased to announce our first Bulgarian base at Sofia (No 83) from October 30 with three based aircraft, (an investment of USD300 million) and twenty-one international routes in total, which will deliver over 1.5 million customers p.a. and support 1,100 “on-site” jobs," Ryanair’s Chief Commercial Officer, David O’Brien, said. "This significant growth is an integral part of our continued expansion plans for both Bulgaria and Eastern Europe, as we connect Sofia with Europe’s key centres of business with high frequency business-friendly services, including Berlin, Brussels, Dublin, London, Madrid and Milan."