Sof Connect will invest another 20 million euros in Sofia Airport this year

The concessionaire of Sofia's airport has invested 30 million euros so far, and another 20 million is planned to be spent by the end of the year. This was announced by the director of Sof Connect, Jesus Caballero, in an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR). Some of the projects planned for 2024 are related to renovations of the check-in counters, a new baggage system, the renovation of the security area and an entirely new food court area.

In addition, the construction of the new Terminal 3 of Sofia Airport will start at the beginning of 2026 and will last for 3 years. The concessionaire will also invest in the use of sustainable aviation fuel, as well as digitalization of airport management processes.

Recently, Sof Connect started the construction of an open parking lot at Terminal 2. The project is implemented by GBS-Infrastrukturno Stroitelstvo, with a value of over 3.5 million euros. The construction is expected to be completed by October.

Furthermore, the Sofia Airport concessionaire opened the largest duty-free shop in Bulgaria.

What else?

This year, the indoor parking lot and the check-in counters will be renovated, and the luggage system will also be replaced, Jesus Caballero stated in the radio interview.

Electronic boarding pass check counters have already been installed, but we are also going to upgrade the entire security area.”

According to him, the area will be expanded and fitted with new equipment, so as to increase its capacity. He added that the construction of the new food court area is also underway.

It may be hard for passengers to notice, but we’re also investing in improving the taxiways, the big runway, and also the lighting."

The current lighting will be replaced with LED. The goal is both a better feeling for passengers and to save energy, adds Caballero. According to him, the street lighting will also be replaced with LED.

Additionally, the concessionaire is working on a project related to fuel storage and the preparation of the airport for the use of sustainable aviation fuel. It will start this year, although it will be fully implemented in the next two at a cost of 3.5 million euros.

This year we are investing very heavily in the digitalization of the airport," Caballero added.

According to him, between 4 and 5 million euros will be injected into a comprehensive airport management system and a new ERP system – software that manages daily business activities, planning and efficiency.

In fact, the digitization process started in May last year, when the concessionaire signed a contract with Hellenic Telecommunications' enterprise SA - OTE SA for the implementation of a completely new ERP system. It is part of the digital transformation plan of the airport, which also includes updating systems, software and hardware for over 5 million euros.

Terminal 3

According to Caballero, the master plan for Terminal 3 of Sofia Airport is yet to be approved by the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport, although it has already received the green light from the General Directorate of Aviation Administration. An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is to be carried out. After the completion of this stage, a detailed project is to be made.

Our ambitions are to begin the construction of Terminal 3 in the first quarter of 2026, once we have received all the permits. We were ready to start two years ago, so we'll have seven years for design and permits and then three years for construction.”

Sof Connect started designing the new terminal in April last year. Plus, a contract was signed with the Bulgarian architectural and engineering company IPA to design the reconstruction of Terminal 2.

The designers partnered with 1PAX - a French architectural office with international experience in designing airports (they were the authors of the conceptual design of the terminal) and with consultants from EGIS Avia - a global leader in the design and engineering of airports and aviation infrastructure.

According to Caballero, the new terminal will be located next to Terminal 2, close to the RVD tower. Eventually, the two terminals will merge and function as one large terminal.

Since there is a subway station, it can't be located much further. We will make use of this passenger connectivity to the airport. The new outdoor car park will be next to the entrance of Terminal 3."

Translated by Tzvetozar Vincent Iolov