January 10 (SeeNews) - Passenger numbers at Bulgaria's Sofia Airport rose significantly year-on-year to over 6 million in 2022, but remained over 1 million fewer than in the pre-pandemic 2019, airport operator SOF Connect said on Tuesday.
Passengers on international scheduled flights numbered some 5.46 million last year, down 17% on 2019 while 232,260 passengers flew on domestic flights, or 18% fewer than before the pandemic, SOF Connect said in a press release. By contrast, charter passenger numbers rose by over 15% reaching 250,521 in 2022.
At 53,722, the number of aircraft take-offs and landings was 12% lower than in the year before the pandemic broke out, the concession-holder added. There was also a decline of over 14% in cargo and mail handled to 20,529 t last year.
"Europe expects passenger traffic to recover to pre-pandemic levels only in 2025. We believe we can do better in Sofia, with 1 million new seats already guaranteed for 2023 thanks to active work with airlines," Sofia Airport CEO Jesus Caballero said. He went on to recall that the airport is planning a number of major redevelopments this year.