site.btaTurkish Consul General Orkun to Lobby for Istanbul-Burgas Air Service

Turkiye’s Consul General in Burgas Tolga Orkun here on Friday undertook to organize a meeting between the Bulgarian authorities and Turkish Airlines representatives to discuss opportunities for establishing an Istanbul - Burgas air service. Orkun paid an official visit to Burgas Regional Governor Plamen Yanev, and the two discussed the activity of the local airport, the press service of the Burgas Regional Administration said. Yanev raised the issue of the decreasing number of flights to and from Burgas Airport. Orkun regretted the lack of a direct line between Burgas and Istanbul, pointing out that Bulgaria’s land border is not in good condition. "I consider a good service between the two neighbouring countries a priority," he said.

Attending the meeting were also Trakya University Rector Prof. Dr. Erhan Tabakoglu, Trakya University Vice Rector Osman Nuri Hatipoglu, and Edirne Provincial Health Director Prof. Dr. Ali Kalkan, among others. They discussed opportunities for partnership through educational exchange and business initiatives aimed at improving the economic bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Turkiye.

The topic of connecting Burgas Airport with Istanbul was touched on February 21 by Dr. Frank Quante, CEO of Fraport Twin Star Airport Management, the joint-stock concessionaire of the two seaside airports in Varna and Burgas. He said that a negative trend of a short summer tourist season has been observed over the last few years. In his words, the solution is to find a connection with major airports such as those in Frankfurt, Warsaw, and Istanbul. Quante noted that negotiations have been held with Turkish Airlines, and the company has shown interest in Burgas Airport. He added that it is expected that from next year on, the airline will make flights to and from the city five times a week.