Bulgaria's GP Aviation secures wet-leased A320

Romania's Air Bucharest retires B737-300s, to add others

Malta's Air Horizont to base a B737 in Bratislava

Air Horizont (HT, Zaragoza) will base a single B737-400 out of Bratislava airport to operate summer leisure charters on behalf of local tour operator TIP Travel.

Under a deal arranged by charter broker Classic Air, the aircraft will operate nearly 200 rotations between June 13 and September 21, 2023, connecting Bratislava with destinations in Italy, Greece, and Spain. The charter contract is worth over EUR7.4 million euros (USD7.9 million).

The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows that Air Horizont's fleet consists of five B737-400s. The airline also leases out another unit of the type to Bulgaria's GP Aviation (IV, Sofia). Only one of the Boeing aircraft is currently active, operating charter flights mainly in Air Horizont's home market, Spain.

Bratislava is currently a base for Buzz (Poland) (operating for parent Ryanair) and ACMI/charter specialists Air Explore, Go2Sky, and Smartwings (Czechia)/Smartwings (Slovakia).

Brussels backs €30.7mn Covid aid to Bulgarian carriers

The European Commission has approved EUR30.7 million euros (USD33.7 million) in direct Bulgarian government grants as support for the country’s airlines covering the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic, the European Union’s executive branch said in a statement on Friday, March 18.

The aid scheme consists of two types of support, the first providing assistance “for the uncovered fixed costs for air carriers that suffered a decline in turnover between March 2020 and December 2021 of at least 30% compared to the same period of 2019.” The second consists of more limited amounts of aid for companies that suffered a decline in turnover lower than 30%.

The scheme, which the commission said was in line with the temporary Covid-era relaxation in state aid rules, will be open to airlines of all sizes holding a Bulgarian operating licence. The purpose, it added, is to address the liquidity needs of these companies and to help them continue their activities during and after the pandemic.

The aid will not exceed EUR12 million (USD13.2 million) per beneficiary under the first...

Bulgaria's Bul Air adds first A320