More than 150M leva investments in Sofia Airport by end of 2025
SOF Connect, the operator of Sofia Airport, announced on May 17 its plans for accelerated investment in the capital’s airport by the end of 2025.
More than 50 million leva a year will be invested in the airport’s development over the next three years, a media statement by Sofia Airport said.
This will achieve an increase of 60 million leva, or two-thirds more than the amount set in the concession contract, the statement said.
Sofia Airport chief executive Jesús Caballero said that 150 million leva would be the contribution of SOF Connect to the Bulgarian economy by the end of 2025 to ensure the transformation of the capital’s airport.
“Thus, in total, for the entire term of the concession, the investments in the development of the Bulgarian airport will exceed 1.2 billion leva,” Caballero said.
The statement said that the investment programme is part of a wider strategic goal to have a five-star regional airport and a third passenger terminal by 2030.
Improving the passenger experience, green energy usage, clean environment and sustainable development are among the main priorities of the Sofia Airport modernisation plan implemented by SOF Connect.
The main investment projects include construction of a 20-megawatt photovoltaic park to meet the energy needs of the airport complex, with the first five megawatts will be implemented before 2025.
Other main investment projects include construction of the completely new Terminal 3, scheduled for commissioning in 2030, complete reconstruction of Terminal 2 building, which will also take over flights from Terminal 1, and the construction of 3 new public car parks, doubling of check-in counters and increase in security and border control lines, improving the passenger experience through a new shopping area of almost 2000 sq m, a completely new area with restaurants and bars.
Others include implementation in 2023 of a new modern and efficient baggage management system, three new boarding bridges, also capable of handling wide-body aircraft for long-haul flights, and repair and improvement of the airfield field, including the runway, the statement said.
(Photo: Sofia Airport)
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