Varna International Airport

Varna has banned construction in some in areas where building of residential and office properties has been very intense over the past several years until a common zoning plan for the city is approved.
Municipal administration could not predict when the plan would be ready; the most optimistic say the plan will be ready in two years. Construction in progress will not be affected by the ban.
Varna chief architect Ivan Trendafilov say the ban is harmless to businesses, as a number of open areas are still available for construction.
Due to the greater expectations of Varna airport's role in the overall development of the Black Sea region and the considerably increased flow of both passengers and cargo, a new general plan has been promoted by the national government for the Varna airport complex over the last couple of years. The plan provides for modernization of both the international terminal and the domestic lines. Concession contracts are expected to be inked in 2005 before the start of the busy summer season. The 35-year contract will have an option for a 15-year extension. The concession of Bulgaria's coastal (Burgas and Varna) airports is expected to attract investments of nearly BGN 100-150 M for both airports over the next several years. The Parliament has finalized amendments to the Aviation Act, which regulate the airport concession procedures. With the concession comes the obligation to maintain both airports in year-round operation for domestic and international flights - Varna and Burgas are currently fully-engaged only in summer months. More than 40 airlines have announced their intentions to launch charter flights to Varna in the summertime. This year for the first time, passengers from Madrid and Lisbon will be also able to land directly in Varna.
Varna-Budapest regular flights are scheduled by Malev Airlines of Budapest, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Bulgaria Air flag carrier has announced the launch of regular flights from the coastal city of Varna to the European cities of Amsterdam, Vienna and Frankfurt, as of May-June. The Varna-Amsterdam-Varna flight will run every Monday, the Varna-Vienna-Varna one - every Friday, and the return flight to Frankfurt will be scheduled every Sunday, the airline officials said. Austrian Airlines has regular flights between Vienna and Varna, and scheduled flights four times weekly, including Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. A regular charter flight to Amsterdam is also operating at the Varna Airport.