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There are currently four ways to get to Varna from Sofia: by car, by bus, by train and by plane. Traditionally, the first three options have been the choice for Bulgarians for the past 19 years, simply because flying to Varna has had the reputation of a luxury that only the rich and famous can afford.

This has changed now for two reasons. The ever-increasing oil prices on world markets have made bus companies increase their tickets to an extent that they are no longer viewed as a reasonably affordable way to go to the sea for the summer. The expensive fuel has made going to Varna by car a real challenge for every family budget with costs rising to 150 leva (77 euro) in both directions. Together, with the negative statistics about road accidents and the lack of proper road infrastructure such as fully functional highways, travelling by car has somehow lost its appeal.

The train, on the other hand, is still regarded as the cheapest way to go to the Black Sea, but the long journey of at least eight hours and its “hygiene challenges” have discouraged many travellers.

The fourth option has always been present in Bulgaria, but the current prices of plane tickets starting at 319 leva (162 euro) for a round-trip ticket has kept planes reserved mainly for businessmen on business trips to and from Varna. These flights are offered by the former state-owned company that had controlled of the market for more than 50 years.

The news that Bulgaria was to see its first low-cost air company operating on the Sofia-Varna route was highly welcomed by both the media and the public in Bulgaria. Low-cost companies are nothing new for Bulgaria, with plenty of them already offering flights to and from Bulgaria, but for the first time, a low-cost company is to offer affordable flying options within the country. These options will be offered by the Hungarian Wizz Air as of July 24 2008.

Of course, all those familiar with low-cost airlines know the rule of thumb is the earlier you book, the better price you get.

Fares for the Sofia-Varna route are starting from as low as 19.99 leva (10 euro) approximately one-way, all-inclusive, Natasa Kazmer, head of corporate communications and public affairs at Wizz Air, said to The Sofia Echo. Wizz Air expects the average ticket price to be between 20 and 40 euro, depending on the date of purchase.

Booking has already started, Kazmer said, adding that the lowest fares were still available for many travel dates in August. “We recommend making the booking as soon as the decision is taken in order to benefit from the low fares, as the ticket price will only increase,” she said, advising to act quickly,  because “loads of flights are filling up and seats are being sold continuously”.

At the time this article was written, the price of a two way ticket on July 28 started at about 65 leva (34 euro), including taxes and charges.

The company has certainly tried to enter Bulgaria’s domestic route market with an ambitious plan. The Sofia-Varna flights will operate four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and unlike other companies, which usually prefer to treat Varna as just a summer destination, Wizz Air will keep the Sofia-Varna route on its schedule all year round.

“Varna is Wizz Air’s third destination in Bulgaria, after Sofia and Bourgas. We decided to put the town on our destination map for a number of reasons. First of all, it is indeed a very popular summer destination not only for foreigners but also for Bulgarians. Secondly, our market analysis shows that there is a big potential for VFR (visit friends and relatives) and business trips between Sofia and the Black Sea,” Kazmer said.

There is another fact that should not be underestimated. As a Hungarian-based company, Wizz Air can benefit from the excellent reputation that Bulgarian Black Sea has had for years, this view being shared by Kazmer. “Varna is very popular among the citizens of both Bulgaria and Hungary. The Black Sea was a very popular summer destination among Hungarians in the 1980s. Today this trend is back again; tourists are re-discovering the region and planning their main summer holiday there. With the quick, convenient and cheap connection offered by us, it is much easier to reach the Black Sea than ever before.”

As a further benefit for its customers, Wizz Air is offering flights to Varna from Sofia and from Budapest. The company plans to carry close to 350 000 passengers to and from Bulgaria in 2008, 30 000 of whom on these routes. For comparison, Wizz Air served close to 150 000 passengers flying to and from Bulgaria in 2007. To serve the domestic route, the company will deploy its second aircraft in Bulgaria, an 180-seat Airbus A320.

Exploring the tourist potential of Bulgarian Black Sea is not a new thing for the company and the Bulgarian summer has a considerable place in its strategy. “Wizz Air offers summer destinations during the holiday season as there is a huge demand for this service. An increasing number of passengers like to plan their holidays on their own and book flights and accommodation individually via the internet,” Kazmer said.

Another part of this strategy is the flights offered by the company to the other major Bulgarian town on the Black Sea, Bourgas.

Wizz Air has been operating flights to Bourgas since May 1 2006, when the first Wizz Air flight took off from Bourgas to London Luton. Today the company offers 10 weekly flights to four destinations from Bourgas: to Warsaw, Katowice, Budapest and London Luton. Unlike the Sofia-Varna route, these routes are seasonal and will be re-launched in the next summer season.

As with most low-cost airlines, Wizz Air’s services are fully available online. “We have never issued paper tickets, as we have always been a ticketless airline, because issuing tickets via the internet saves a huge cost to the company and makes the life of customers much easier,” Kazmer said.

This article appeared as part of The Black Sea Echo supplement, June 20 2008