Balkan Bulgarian Airlines

Bulgaria had a short-lived airline (Bunavad) in 1927, yet the country could not afford investing in modern air transport until after World War II. In 1946, the Ministry of Transport and Communications formed an Administration of Air Communications ({{langx|bg|Дирекция на въздушните съобщения (ДВС)}}, {{transl|bg|Direkcia na vazdushnite saobshtenia (DVS)}}). Since Bulgaria was regarded as a combatant on the defeated Axis side, the DVS could only contract with France for the supply of several Atelier d'Avions Coulombe Toucan aircraft (French-built versions of the Junkers Ju 52). In interpretation of their delivery, Bulgarian airmen practised by flying the nation's first long-distance flights: to Paris, transporting government officials to peace negotiations, being conducted there. These flights used German-built Ju 52 aircraft (Bulgarian service designation Сова or Sova, = Owl), delivered before the war to the На Негово Величество Въздушни войски [НВВВ] or His majesty's Air Force, and captured during the war from retreating German forces.

DVS officially launched services under the Bulgarian Air Lines ({{langx|bg|Български въздушни линии}}, {{transl|bg|Balgarski vazdushni linii}}) name on 29 June 1947 with a Ju 52 flight from Sofia via Plovdiv to Burgas. Other services soon followed. By the close of the year, the DVS had ordered several Soviet-built Lisunov Li-2 variants of the Douglas DC-3 and at least 13 were operated until 1968.Gradidge 2006, p 167 The Soviet forces stationed in Bulgaria took interest in DVS, and by late 1947, had taken DVS into joint ownership, as had been done with all airlines of East-European countries formerly allied with Nazi Germany. The resulting airline was called TABSO ({{langx|bg|ТАБСО}}), an acronym for "Transportno-aviacionno balgaro-savetsko obedinenie" ({{langx|bg|Транспортно-авиационно българо-съветско обединение}}, Bulgarian-Soviet Transport Aviation Corporation). The Ju 52s gradually phased out from service as TABSO re-equipped with Li-2s. These more modern planes allowed the airline to expand services.

File:FSTP_044.55_Lissunow_Li-2_airplane.jpg at Gorna Oryahovitsa Airport. (1956)]]

File:TABSO VEB VEB-14P Manteufel.jpg at Vienna. (1962)]]

File:Ilyushin Il-18 LZ-BEK Bulgarian A.T Ringway 10.06.68 edited-2.jpg in 1968]]

File:Ilyushin Il-18 LZ-BEL Bulair LGW 27.09.69 edited-2.jpg in 1969]]

Soviet equity in TABSO was reacquired by the Bulgarian government in 1954.{{rp|788}} The airline with this brand name survived until the end of 1967, often in the shadow of the headline phrase Bulgarian Air Transport. In 1956, TABSO bought its first Ilyushin Il-14 aircraft.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} These aircraft, along with Li-2s, were deployed on services to seven domestic destinations, including Burgas, Gorna Oryahovitsa,[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Gorna+Oryahovitsa,+Bulgaria/@43.1302431,25.6515087,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x40a929143ccc5f39:0x4a447aa5311d5d2b Google Maps reference for spelling] Ruschuk, Plovdiv,[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Plovdiv,+Bulgaria/@42.1440996,24.6708344,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x14acd108a248763d:0x6470d1fa6f1338a0 Google Maps reference for modern-era naming] Sofia, Stara Zagora[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Stara+Zagora,+Bulgaria/@42.4192498,25.5898423,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x40a8690b30e83935:0x74baed1462879fb1 Google Maps reference for spelling] and Varna; and international destinations Amsterdam, Athens, Beirut, Belgrade, Berlin, Bucharest, Budapest, Damascus, Frankfurt, Kiev, Moscow, Odessa, Prague, Vienna and Warsaw.{{rp|788}}

In 1962, it began services with the Ilyushin Il-18; these and the expansion of Bulgaria's inclusive-tour tourism industry began to put the airline's name on the European and world map. The turboprop type crossed the Equator to Kenya and the Atlantic to Peru. By 1967, Antonov An-24s had arrived for domestic and regional flights.

By the mid-1960s, tourism was a major hard currency earner for Bulgaria and TABSO faced home-grown competition. Executives of the Teksim trading company had decided to start their own aviation business which included crop-spraying and inclusive-tour charter airline operations under the name of Булер (Bulair). Despite trying to buy Sud Aviation Caravelle jet airliners, Bulair ended up buying more Il-18s turboprops under heavy Soviet and Bulgarian political pressure. These were operated to several Western European countries to bring holiday makers to Bulgarian resorts.

The Teksim venture proved a success and a thorn in the side of TABSO. By 1967, TABSO had the inside track in government circles, and the Teksim operation was largely disbanded by 1970. Amid rumours of scandal and embezzling several Teksim directors were sent to jail, accused of performing capitalism-ruled economic behaviour. Their venture had operated under the TABSO banner for reasons of expediency (not least international rights). The last Bulair-branded aircraft had been rebranded as TABSO machines by 1972.

The carrier bought three Tupolev Tu-134 jets in late 1967. On 1 January 1968,{{disputed inline|date=August 2012}} TABSO was rebranded Balkan Bulgarian Airlines ({{langx|bg|Балкан{{spaced ndash}}Български въздушни линии}}, {{transl|bg|Balkan{{spaced ndash}}Bulgarski vazdushni linii}}).{{additional citation needed|date=August 2012}} The wider commercial aviation scene was put under Balkan's control via subsidiaries such as the aforementioned Bulair, Селскостопанска авиация [ССА] or Selskostopanska aviacia [SSA] (the Agricultural Aviation Company) and a separate profit centre which performed ad hoc aviation contracting, mostly with helicopters.

The first Tu-134 was put into service in {{start date|1968|11}}, initially flying scheduled services between Sofia and London. The airline became the first foreign customer of the type,{{rp|31}} leading to a close association with the Tupolev design bureau that lasted two decades. There were several reasons why Bulgaria was allowed to put a new Soviet type into service ahead of more important Soviet-bloc nations. Andrei Tupolev was President of the Soviet-Bulgarian Society. He had cemented personal links with his Bulgarian counterpart, formidable wartime Resistance figure and Politburo member Tsola Dragoycheva. She lobbied him for delivery preferences in return for campaigning before the Bulgarian authorities to buy his products rather than Western or other Soviet aircraft types. Indeed, Balkan never bought the Ilyushin Il-62 long-range airliner, preferring to misuse its Tu-154s for long-range work. Similarly, it eschewed Ilyushin's Il-86 wide-body despite arguably having the precise role for it on its sea or ski charter flights.

At {{start date|1970|3}}, Balkan served {{cardinal|22}} countries in Africa, Asia and Europe plus {{cardinal to word|9}} domestic destinations. At this time, the fleet included Antonov An-2s, An-10s and An-24Bs, Ilyushin Il-14s and Il-18s, Tupolev Tu-134s, Z-37 Cmelaks and Mil helicopters. Lazar Beloukhov was the general manager. On 18 January 1971, an Ilyushin Il-18 crashed and caught fire while attempting to land at Kloten Airport in fog; only two people survived the crash. During 1971, Balkan was the first airline beyond the USSR borders to operate the Tupolev Tu-134A.{{rp|31}} On 21 December, the crash of another Il-18 during takeoff left {{cardinal|28}} fatalities.

File:Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Tu-134 LZ-TUA ORY 1979-8-3.png received by the airline. The aircraft is seen here at Orly Airport in 1979.]]

Again in 1972, this time with the Tupolev Tu-154, the carrier became the first foreign customer to incorporate a new Tupolev aircraft into its fleet.{{rp|31}} The latter type was deployed first on charter flights, and later on scheduled services. By {{MONTHNAME|11}} the same year, Balkan had two of these aircraft in service.{{rp|708}} It also launched non-Soviet use of the Tu-154A, Tu-154B, Tu-154B-2 and Tu-154M.{{when|date=August 2012}} Balkan was a useful test-bed for new ideas by the Tupolev bureau. The airline pioneered the use of three-person flightdeck crews on the Tu-154 by removing navigators (flight crew members whom the designers had intentionally inserted into the Tu-134 and Tu-154) between 1972 and 1976. Balkan also removed the Tu-154's concrete ballast trim on which conservative Tupolev engineers had insisted. In the mid-1980s, a team of Bulgarian engineers interlinked the automatic flight control systems of the airline's Tu-154s with OMEGA Navigation System receivers, enabling very accurate automatic long-range overwater navigation. In the 1990s, Balkan was among the first to fit GPS navigation to its Tu-154 fleet. A Tu-154B was flown non-stop from Montreal to Sofia, a distance of over {{convert|7000|km|mi|abbr=on}} and a record for the type, during a charter flight.

As the Soviet-bloc economies gradually entered into stagnation in the 1970s, Balkan continued growing apace.{{additional citation needed|date=July 2012}} In 1974, the airline's route network was {{convert|74500|mi}} long.{{cite journal |title=Air Transport |journal=Flight International |date=27 February 1975 |page=325 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200377.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407084208/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200377.html |archive-date=7 April 2014 |access-date=26 July 2012 |quote=Balkan Bulgarian Airlines is now flying over 74,500 route miles and carried 443,000 charter passengers last year. |url-status=live}} By the mid/late 1970s, it was carrying three million passengers a year, more than any Soviet-bloc airline other than some Directorates of Aeroflot. The fleet comprised{{when|date=July 2012}} aforementioned types plus Antonov An-12s for cargo (since late 1969) and Yakovlev Yak-40 regional jets for short-haul routes (since 1974). The comprehensive route system covered Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. With the delivery of more Tu-154s, Balkan opened longer-range routes, including ones to Zimbabwe, Angola and Nigeria in sub-Equatorial Africa, and to Sri Lanka and Vietnam in Southern Asia.

File:Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Tu-154B-2 LZ-BTR LHR 1981-11-7.png at London Heathrow Airport in 1981]]

In 1986, Balkan was restructured as part of a wholesale shakeup of the late Socialist economy in an attempt to make it more productive and manageable. The airline was divorced from functions such as running airports. It had suffered disastrous traffic falls after the Comecon fuel crisis of 1979, when the number of passengers carried collapsed to under a million. By the late 1980s, loads were back up to 1970s levels. Of the three million annual passengers, a third were carried on domestic services, another third on charter flights, and the remaining million on scheduled international routes.

Balkan joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 1988, becoming its 175th member worldwide. On 10 November 1989, Bulgaria's long-ruling leader Todor Zhivkov was removed from power and Bulgaria began moving away from the Soviet bloc. Within a year, Balkan had been restructured yet again, with Hemus Air emerging from within it as a "second force" state-owned airline with mainly domestic and regional flights. Private airlines began to appear, most important among them Singapore-backed Jes Air which launched services to New York and Singapore using Airbus A310s.

File:Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Boeing 737-500 LZ-BOC LIS 1992.png}} on short final to Lisbon Portela Airport in 1992]]

By mid-1991, Balkan had leased two Boeing 767-200ERs from Air France to compete with failing Jes Air on North American and Southern Asian routes. At the same time Balkan acquired four Airbus A320s from Oryx. The Soviet-build types remained in service alongside the new arrivals.

The 1990s were a time of headlong decline at Balkan. The airline suffered in Bulgaria's transition to a market economy. Former managers of state-owned industry began forming private companies to supply the industries they had once managed (at high prices), and yet other private companies to purchase their production (at low prices). The aim was to control both supply and sales, charging high prices and paying low prices to strangle state companies and then privatise them at very low prices. The entire Bulgarian economy was in deep recession. This was due to severe political instability at home and protracted wars and economic sanctions in neighbouring Yugoslavia.{{cite book|author=Albrecht Schnabel|title=Southeast European Security: Threats, Responses, Challenges|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1zRIiXGw784C&pg=PA79|year=2001|publisher=Nova Publishers|isbn=978-1-59033-097-5|page=79}} These factors upset potential investment and tourism and cut off Bulgaria from many trading partners.

File:Balkan Bulgarian Airlines A320-200 LZ-ABA ZRH 1992-2-24.png}} at Zurich Airport in 1992]]

In {{start date|1995|3}}, Balkan had a fleet of four Airbus A320-200s, three Antonov An-12Fs, fourteen Antonov An-24s, three Boeing 737-500s, two Boeing 767-200ERs, six Ilyushin Il-18s, five Tupolev Tu-134A-3s, fifteen Tupolev Tu-154B-2s and seven Tupolev Tu-154Ms. At this time, the company had 3,889 employees and the route network included 52 destinations. By 1998, Balkan's 767s returned to Air France and the A320s were passed on to other lessees. The Tu-154B fleet was overdue for replacement, and the Tu-154M was aging. Bulgaria's government appeared to pledge some funds for Airbus A310 acquisition so that long-range services could be sustained, but nothing came of this.

Late in 1998, the company was ready to be sold to a holding named Balkan Air, comprising Bulgarian and US investors, but the transaction was later suspended. All through the decade, there had been rumours of investor interest in Balkan. These rumours consistently named Russian and German airline interests which were said to be eager to buy the carrier. There was also lobbying by the airline's managers for a management buyout. Nevertheless, a consortium comprising two Israeli companies —the Zeevi investment group and Knafaim-Arkia (the owner of Arkia Israel Airlines) — was assigned a 75 percent stake in Balkan Bulgarian in mid-1999 for a bargain price of {{US$|150000|link=yes}}, with the commitment of investing {{US$|100}} million in the airline over the following ten years. Arkia left the consortium once title in the airline was transferred. It was disclosed in 2001 that Balkan had been declared bankrupt months prior to the sale.

Balkan had 3,889 employees at {{start date|2000|3}}. At this time, the fleet included three Antonov An-12s; six Antonov An-24Bs and an An-24RV; two Boeing 737-300s and three 737-500s; an Ilyushin Il-18 and an Il-18D; three Let L 410 UVP-Es; and fourteen Tupolev Tu-154Bs and ten Tu-154Ms. These operated services to Abu Dhabi, Accra, Algiers, Amsterdam, Athens, Bahrain, Bangkok, Belgrade, Berlin, Bourgas, Brussels, Budapest, Cairo, Casablanca, Chișinău, Colombo, Copenhagen, Dubai, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Istanbul, Kyiv, Kuwait, Lagos, Larnaca, London, Madrid, Malé, Malta, Milan, Moscow, Paris, Prague, Rome, Sofia, Stockholm, Tehran, Tel Aviv, Tripoli, Varna, Vienna, Warsaw and Zurich. The Israeli connection led to difficulties in operating the Arab routes. Its assets seemed to be being sold-off in an asset-stripping manner and by early 2001, Balkan's fleet was not even up to the task of meeting the airline's summer charter commitments, despite taking on some used 737-300s.{{additional citation needed|date=September 2012}} In {{start date|2001|2}}, the Zeevi group ceased funding the carrier and initiated legal action against the Bulgarian government over a {{US$|100}} million debt. Although the company was grounded and entered receivership, it resumed flying later that year.

Short of cash, in 2002 Balkan's six weekly slots for Heathrow airport were sold to British Airways for {{US$|6}} million. In {{MONTHNAME|10}} that year, creditors turned down a restructuring plan and voted for the closure of the airline, which was liquidated. The number of employees at the time of closure was 1,269. Balkan was succeeded as Bulgaria's national carrier by the newly formed Bulgaria Air.{{cite news |title="Балкан Еър Тур" ще бъде новият национален превозвач на България |language=Bulgarian |trans-title=Balkan Air Tour to be the new flag carrier of Bulgaria |publisher=Econ.bg |date=30 October 2002 |url=http://econ.bg/Новини/-Балкан-Еър-Тур-ще-бъде-новият-национален-превозвач-на-България_l.a_i.50069_at.1.html |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6HxbLuAG8?url=http://econ.bg/%D0%9D%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8/-%D0%91%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BD-%D0%95%D1%8A%D1%80-%D0%A2%D1%83%D1%80-%D1%89%D0%B5-%D0%B1%D1%8A%D0%B4%D0%B5-%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%8F%D1%82-%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%25 |archive-date=8 July 2013 |url-status=live}}

File:Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Tu-134 LZ-TUC LBG September 1974.png at Le Bourget Airport in 1974.]]

File:Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Cargo An-12B LZ-BAC DUS 1998-7-20.png Düsseldorf Airport in 1998.]]

Until 1990, Balkan's signs were carried both by normal airliners and special government detachment, agricultural aviation, sanitary wings, cargo planes. Here follows the fleet except An-2 /281 pieces/ and Ка-26, as well as civil Mi-8s /17 pieces/, Mi-17 /1 piece/, Mi-2, training L-410s.

{{as of|2012|8}}, Aviation Safety Network records 15 occurrences and four hijackings for Balkan,{{cite web|title= Accident record for Balkan Bulgarian Airlines|publisher= Aviation Safety Network|url= https://asn.flightsafety.org/database/dblist.php?sorteer=datekey_desc&kind=%&cat=%&page=1&field=Operatorkey&var=6376|access-date= 10 August 2012}} and two fatal accidents plus one hijacking for TABSO.{{cite web|title= Accident record for TABSO|publisher= Aviation Safety Network|url= https://asn.flightsafety.org/database/operators/5214|access-date= 25 July 2012}} Only events that led to fatalities, wrote off the aircraft involved, or both, are presented in the list below.

{{Portal|Bulgaria|Aviation}}

• Transport in Bulgaria

{{Clear}}

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite journal |title=Aeroflot poised to join Iata |journal=Flight International |date=3 December 1988 |page=9 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1988/1988%20-%203415.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407090654/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1988/1988%20-%203415.html |archive-date=7 April 2014 |access-date=27 July 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Arkia move sparks Arab backlash |first=Peter |last=Bennett |location=Vienna |agency=Airline Business |publisher=Flightglobal.com |date=1 August 1999 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/arkia-move-sparks-arab-backlash-54518/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306100238/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/arkia-move-sparks-arab-backlash-54518/ |archive-date=6 March 2016 |access-date=21 August 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{flatlist|

• {{allow wrap|{{cite journal

|title = A Taste of the Tu-134 (page 819)

|journal = Flight International

|date = 21 November 1968

|pages = 819–820

|url = http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%202669.html

|archive-url = https://www.webcitation.org/69SShzOwA?url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%202669.html

|archive-date = 27 July 2012

|access-date = 27 July 2012

|url-status = live

}}}}

• {{allow wrap|{{cite journal

|title = A Taste of the Tu-134 (page 820)

|journal = Flight International

|url = http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%202670.html

|archive-url = https://www.webcitation.org/69ST2IMch?url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%202670.html

|archive-date = 27 July 2012

|access-date = 27 July 2012

|url-status = live

}}}}}}

{{cite news |title=Balkan and Malev face sale |date=1 November 1998 |publisher=Flightglobal.com |agency=Airline Business |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-and-malev-face-sale-44404/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305171827/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-and-malev-face-sale-44404/ |archive-date=5 March 2016 |access-date=4 September 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Balkan Air Tour earns new status |first=Igor |last=Salinger |location=Belgrade |agency=Flight International |publisher=Flightglobal.com |date=12 November 2002 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-air-tour-earns-new-status-157702/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819192527/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-air-tour-earns-new-status-157702/ |archive-date=19 August 2019 |access-date=28 July 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Balkan begins to resurrect flights under receiver |agency=Flight International |publisher=Flightglobal.com |date=29 May 2001 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-begins-to-resurrect-flights-under-receiver-130610/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305142504/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-begins-to-resurrect-flights-under-receiver-130610/ |archive-date=5 March 2016 |access-date=28 July 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Balkan declared bankrupt in 1998, court reveals |publisher=Flightglobal.com |agency=Flight International |date=20 March 2001 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-declared-bankrupt-in-1998-court-reveals-127590/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306155144/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-declared-bankrupt-in-1998-court-reveals-127590/ |archive-date=6 March 2016 |access-date=4 September 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Balkan faces Arab boycott |agency=Flight International |publisher=Flightglobal.com |date=21 July 1999 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-faces-arab-boycott-54153 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123061718/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-faces-arab-boycott-54153/ |archive-date=23 January 2013 |access-date=21 August 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Balkan looks to restart |agency=Airline Business |publisher=Flightglobal.com |date=1 May 2001 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-looks-to-restart-129668/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306151647/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-looks-to-restart-129668/ |archive-date=6 March 2016 |access-date=28 July 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Balkan prepares for fleet revamp to achieve profit |first=Arie |last=Egozi |location=Tel Aviv |publisher=Flightglobal.com |agency=Flight International |date=15 August 2000 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-prepares-for-fleet-revamp-to-achieve-profit-69532/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305160711/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-prepares-for-fleet-revamp-to-achieve-profit-69532/ |archive-date=5 March 2016 |access-date=4 September 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Balkan pull-out |agency=Flight International |publisher=Flightglobal.com |date=6 October 1999 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-pull-out-56883/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306151942/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-pull-out-56883/ |archive-date=6 March 2016 |access-date=21 August 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Balkan sale mysteriously delayed |publisher=Flightglobal.com |agency=Airline Business |date=1 December 1998 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-sale-mysteriously-delayed-45453/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306114430/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/balkan-sale-mysteriously-delayed-45453/ |archive-date=6 March 2016 |access-date=4 September 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Bulgaria in second bid for airline investment |date=7 September 2004 |agency=Flight International |publisher=Flightglobal.com |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/bulgaria-in-second-bid-for-airline-investment-187078/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306162622/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/bulgaria-in-second-bid-for-airline-investment-187078/ |archive-date=6 March 2016 |access-date=26 July 2012 |quote=Bulgaria Air was established as the successor to Balkan in December 2002 and operates seven Boeing 737-300s and one 737-500 on scheduled and charter services within Europe and to the Middle East. |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Bulgarian airline grounded by debts |publisher=BBC News |date=14 February 2001 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1170385.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306005313/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1170385.stm |archive-date=6 March 2016 |access-date=28 July 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Bulgarian government seals Balkan's fate |agency=Flight International |publisher=FlightGlobal |date= 4 November 2002|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/bulgarian-government-seals-balkans-fate/45567.article |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523182453/https://www.flightglobal.com/bulgarian-government-seals-balkans-fate/45567.article|archive-date=23 May 2021 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Cuts at Tarom as Zeevi plots Balkan rescue |date=6 March 2001 |publisher=Flightglobal.com |agency=Flight International |first1=Andrew |last1=Doyle |first2=Arie |last2=Egozi |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/cuts-at-tarom-as-zeevi-plots-balkan-rescue-126953/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306102316/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/cuts-at-tarom-as-zeevi-plots-balkan-rescue-126953/ |archive-date=6 March 2016 |access-date=4 September 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite journal |title=World airlines 1970 – Balkan Bulgarian Air Transport |journal=Flight International |date=26 March 1970 |page=474 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200524.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023175347/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200524.html |archive-date=23 October 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite journal |title=Air Transport |journal=Flight International |volume=99 |number=3229 |date=28 January 1971 |page=126 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1971/1971%20-%200137.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102113113/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1971/1971%20-%200137.html |archive-date=2 November 2013 |quote=An Ilyushin Il-18 of Balkan Bulgarian crashed and caught fire while attempting an instrument landing in fog at Kloten Airport, Zurich, on January 18. Of the 39 passengers and eight crew, only a 12-year-old boy and the captain survived. The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Paris and was due to proceed to Sofia. |url-status=live}}

{{cite journal |title=Air Transport |journal=Flight International |date=9 November 1972 |page=637 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%202950.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104180540/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%202950.html |archive-date=4 November 2012 |quote=The airline introduced the Tu-154 earlier this year, first on charters and later on scheduled services. |url-status=live}}

{{flatlist|

• {{allow wrap|{{cite journal|title= Commercial Aircraft survey{{ndash}}Tupolev Tu-154 (page 707)|journal= Flight International|date= 16 November 1972|pages= 707–708|url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%203058.html|archive-url= https://www.webcitation.org/69RZRki8W?url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%203058.html|archive-date= 26 July 2012}}}}
• {{allow wrap|{{cite journal|title= Commercial Aircraft survey{{ndash}}Tupolev Tu-154 (page 708)|journal= Flight International|url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%203059.html|archive-url= https://www.webcitation.org/69RZFlIAV?url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%203059.html|archive-date= 26 July 2012}}}}

}}

{{cite journal |title=Air Transport |journal=Flight International |date=5 September 1974 |page=262 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%201376.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025033619/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%201376.html |archive-date=25 October 2012 |access-date=26 July 2012 |quote=Balkan Bulgarian Airlines carried 677,700 passengers and 18,600 tonnes of freight and generated 116-4 million tonne-kilometres, an increase of 5.8 per cent. |url-status=live}}

{{flatlist|

• {{allow wrap|{{cite journal

|title = World airline directory – Balkan Bulgarian Airlines (page 291)

|journal = Flight International

|date = 26 July 1980

|pages = 291–292

|url = http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1980/1980%20-%201910.html

|archive-url = https://www.webcitation.org/69V3JB6PY?url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1980/1980%20-%201910.html

|archive-date = 28 July 2012

|access-date = 28 July 2012

|url-status = live

}}}}

• {{allow wrap|{{cite journal

|title = World airline directory – Balkan Bulgarian Airlines (page 292)

|journal = Flight International

|url = http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1980/1980%20-%201911.html

|archive-url = https://www.webcitation.org/69V35DKhu?url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1980/1980%20-%201911.html

|archive-date = 28 July 2012

|access-date = 28 July 2012

|url-status = live

}}}}

}}

{{cite journal |title=World Airline Directory – Balkan Bulgarian Airlines |journal=Flight International |date=14 March 1990 – 20 March 2000 |page=76 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1990/1990%20-%200728.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407090235/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1990/1990%20-%200728.html |archive-date=7 April 2014 |access-date=28 July 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite journal |title=World airline directory – Balkan Bulgarian Airlines |journal=Flight International |issn=0015-3710 |date=29 March – 4 April 1995 |page=58 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1995/1995%20-%200859.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111123816/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1995/1995%20-%200859.html |archive-date=11 November 2013 |url-status=live}}

{{cite journal |title=World Airline Directory – Balkan Bulgarian Airlines |journal=Flight International |date=28 March – 3 April 2000 |page=57 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2000/2000%20-%200929.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203224444/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2000/2000%20-%200929.html |archive-date=3 December 2017}}

{{cite journal |title=World airline directory{{--}}TABSO{{spaced ndash}}Bulgarian Civil Air Transport |journal=Flight |date=18 April 1958 |page=548 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958%20-%200532.html |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Dcez2wlQ?url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958%20-%200532.html |archive-date=12 January 2013 |access-date=12 January 2013 |url-status=live}}

{{flatlist}}

• {{allow wrap|{{cite journal

|title = TABSO (page 788)

|last = Jenkins

|first = Clive

|journal = Flight

|date = 21 November 1958

|pages = 788–789

|url = http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958-1-%20-%200784.html

|archive-url = https://www.webcitation.org/6AMG7170k?url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958-1-%20-%200784.html

|archive-date = 1 September 2012

}}  }}

• {{allow wrap|{{cite journal

|title = TABSO (page 789)

|journal = Flight

|url = http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958-1-%20-%200785.html

|archive-url = https://www.webcitation.org/6AMGG9c3h?url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958-1-%20-%200785.html

|archive-date = 1 September 2012

}}  }}

{{endflatlist}}

{{cite news |title=Israelis take stake in Balkan Bulgarian |agency=Flight International |publisher=Flightglobal.com |date=7 July 1999 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/israelis-take-stake-in-balkan-bulgarian-53699/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305162101/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/israelis-take-stake-in-balkan-bulgarian-53699/ |archive-date=5 March 2016 |access-date=21 August 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite journal |title=New Name for TABSO |journal=Flight International |date=28 March 1968 |page=442 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%200454.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407090221/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%200454.html |archive-date=7 April 2014 |url-status=live}}

{{cite journal |title=TABSO Buys Jets |journal=Flight International |date=30 November 1967 |page=867 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1967/1967%20-%202305.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026141831/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1967/1967%20-%202305.html |archive-date=26 October 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=Trustees nominated for grounded Balkan |agency=Flight International |publisher=Flightglobal.com |date=27 February 2001 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/trustees-nominated-for-grounded-balkan-126559/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031225/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/trustees-nominated-for-grounded-balkan-126559/ |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=28 July 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{flatlist|

• {{allow wrap|{{cite journal

|title = Tupolev and the new generation (page 30)

|journal = Flight International

|date = 14 December 1985

|pages = 30–31

|url = http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%203290.html

|archive-url = https://www.webcitation.org/69SWwAzem?url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%203290.html

|archive-date = 27 July 2012

|access-date = 27 July 2012

|url-status = live

}}}}

• {{allow wrap|{{cite journal

|title = Tupolev and the new generation (page 31)

|journal = Flight International

|url = http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%203291.html

|archive-url = https://www.webcitation.org/69SWi69vf?url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%203291.html

|archive-date = 27 July 2012

|access-date = 27 July 2012

|url-status = live

}}}}}}

{{cite news |title=Zeevi pulls plug on grounded Balkan Bulgarian |date=20 February 2001 |publisher=Flightglobal.com |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/zeevi-pulls-plug-on-grounded-balkan-bulgarian-126297/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306161647/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/zeevi-pulls-plug-on-grounded-balkan-bulgarian-126297/ |archive-date=6 March 2016 |access-date=28 July 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news |title=След отхвърлянето на оздравителния план за "Балкан" следва ликвидация |language=Bulgarian |publisher=Econ.bg |date=29 October 2002 |url=http://econ.bg/Новини/След-отхвърлянето-на-оздравителния-план-за-Балкан-следва-ликвидация_l.a_i.50323_at.1.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240526182652/https://www.webcitation.org/6HxaDBgNE?url=http://econ.bg/%D0%9D%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8/%D0%A1%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B4-%D0%BE%D1%82%D1%85%D0%B2%D1%8A%D1%80%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%BD%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%BE-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%BE%D0%B7%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D0%BF%D0%BB%25 |archive-date=26 May 2024 |url-status=live}}

|30em}}

• {{cite book |last=Gradidge |first=Jennifer M. |title= DC-1, DC-2, DC-3 The First Seventy Years |year=2006 |location=Tonbridge UK |publisher=Air-Britain |isbn=085130-332-3}}

{{Commons category|Balkan Bulgarian Airlines}}

• [http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/lz.htm Historical timetables]
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{{Airlines of Bulgaria}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Balkan Bulgarian Airlines}}

Category:Defunct airlines of Bulgaria

Category:Airlines established in 1946

Category:Airlines disestablished in 2002

Category:Bulgarian companies established in 1946

Category:2002 disestablishments in Bulgaria