FAQ

How do I find a flight on the site?
To make sure you get the flight you want, when you want, where you want and at the price you want, we have created a number of different search options. If you want to see all available flights from your place to Bulgaira, please use the "Search Flights" link.
If you are looking for the lowest price you can search our latest flight deals to Bulgaria by clicking on the "Special Offers" link.

How can I find the best fare?
There are a number of tips to follow to make sure you get the best price for your trip. These include staying over on a Saturday night, being flexible in your departure and return dates, flying outside peak times and taking advantage of low season fares. It also pays to look closely at the specific restrictions for each flight. Remember, if your travel arrangements are flexible, it's a good idea to check out the "Special Offers"

What is an e-ticket?
e-tickets (electronic tickets) are the new 'ticket-less' way to book flights. Once you've made your booking, it's stored electronically. When you check in at the airport, just show the airline your identification and they'll issue you with a boarding card.
e-tickets mean:
- You can amend bookings far more conveniently than with paper tickets, because our staff can access all your booking information immediately and directly.
- You can book at very short notice as nothing needs to be posted to you.
- You'll never turn up at the airport without your tickets again! 

How do I know if my flight is changeable or refundable?
So that we can offer you the best deals on your flights, many of the tickets we sell have restrictions. In other words, the cheaper the fare, the more restrictive the flight. Once you have selected your flight, you can see the specific restrictions attached by clicking on the 'View fare rules' link on the Itinerary Details page.

How do I check in at the airport with my e-ticket?
Generally adults need passports and children must have their birth-certificates for check-in at the airport. Passenger itinerary receipt is convenient as it contains all flight information; it’s recommended to have it at the airport, but it’s not necessary to have it during the registration.

Please have in mind!
If you travel abroad, passenger itinerary receipt might be necessary during the passport control as a proof, that you have a return ticket or travel further. Passenger itinerary receipt can be asked by the  air security services before getting into the airport. That’s why it’s better to print it out and keep it with you.

How can I pay for my air tickets on BulgariaFlights.com?
The online booking system of BulgariaFlights.com is owned and operated by Silky Holidays Ltd. When you use the booking system to make a reservation, you signify your agreement to these Conditions of Use and other applicable terms, conditions, and notices, including but not limited to the Conditions of Use of WebSite.

We require payment in advance for most of the services listed in our web site. You can pay by online credit card payment.

Online credit card payment: We accept Visa and MasterCard. You must pay at the time of reservation. Fares and taxes are quoted and charged in BGN. Credit cards issued by Visa and MasterCard may be used for reservations.
We do not collect and store card details. Credit Card information is not approachable by BulgariaFlights.com or Silky Holidays Ltd.

Bank Transfer: You can complete the payment for your reservation by bank transfer. Please note that usually bank transfers may take a few days, so you have to complete the payment at least 5 working days before the date of your accommodation. Please note that you have to cover all the charges for the bank transfer and please notify us after transfering the amount!

Can I cancel my booking after I have bought a ticket? Can I demand for refund?
Flight ticket orders are final after the payment is made. We cannot cancel a reservation, because tickets are issued immediately after the payment from a credit card is received. If you can’t start your journey for some reasons, you will have to apply for your ticket to be returned through our Client service.

When a paid ticket is cancelled, the amount paid for the ticket shall be returned according to airline regulations and ticket tariffs; fees for a ticket return will also be collected. The cheapest rates (known as discount rates or tariffs with limitations) are NOT REFUNDED.

Can I change my reservation?
You can apply for a change in your reservation by sending a message to the Client service department. Airlines charge an extra fee for any changes in most cases. Sometimes, especially when it concerns reduced tariffs or discounts, airlines neither accept any changes nor agree to change reservations at price equal to ticket cost.
An extra fee might be required by the issuing company, in addition to the the fee, charged by an airline for changes.

Can I change/substitute the surname in the reservation, once I have made it?
Changes of either name or surname in a reservation is not acceptable by the airline rules. The order will have to be canceled and  issue a new ticket. All relevant charges shall be on Buyer’s account.

How much does it cost to book, change or return a ticket?
BulgariaFlights.com is entitled to charge additional fees for services on reservation and issuance of e-tickets, as well as on return and change of a previously issued ticket. Such charges and their amount depend on conditions provided by a carrier.
The order cost includes agency’s fee for services on issuance of a ticket and this fee shall not be refunded in case a ticket is returned.
Agency’s fee for return of a ticket are refunded to a user in case of a compulsory return (flight cancellation confirmed by an airline, passenger’s illness or death). Agency’s fee for return of a ticket depend on cost of a ticket, an exact sum must be specified at an operator of our Client service on the day of return.

How often is the flight information changed on the site?
BulgariaFlights.com is an online booking system. When you search for a ticket, information about tariffs, flight schedule and availability is taken directly from airlines’ booking systems. Thus, making your search, you get the information up-to-date at the moment of your request, whenever it’s made.

I haven’t received my order confirmation. What shall I do?
If you haven’t received an e-mail message on order confirmation within 2 hours, your mail box may be full or your mail filter fails to let messages sent by BulgariaFlights.com in. Please contact us: +359 2 9 11 33.

What shall I do if the flight date and time have been indicated incorrectly?
It’s very important not to make a mistake when you indicate a date and time of the flight, names of passengers and your order type, as the reservation of tickets are made automatically. If you indicated wrong data, we advise you to inform us immediately, so that we could contact an airline and minimize your charges for a possible cancellation.

Baggage
Regulations for Baggage Check-in and Carriage. Prohibited and Permitted Items.

How many items may I take on board?
There is such a notion as carry-on baggage. These are the items taken by a passenger on board. An umbrella, an attaché case, some baby food, a laptop computer and some other personal demand items are not considered to be carry-ons and are even not subject to weighing. Other things shall be labeled as “Carry-ons”. As a rule, carry-ons are included into free baggage allowance and shall not exceed 5 kg. Some airlines have exceptions though.
Valuables?
If your baggage contains some valuable items, you can declare your baggage value.
This service shall be charged additionally. However, we don’t recommend you to carry jewelry, antiques and other expensive items in your baggage. Anything can happen. And though since your baggage is transferred to a carrier and you receive a baggage tag the responsibility for your baggage safety passes to an airline, your baggage must be carried by the same flight with you and given to you at the destination point. Federal aviation rules also provide procedures of baggage storage and search.

Animal Transportation 

How are animals transported?
It is usually allowed to transfer four animal maximum, that’s why you have to reserve a place for your pet in advance. You should have a special container for your pet transportation meeting International air carrier requirements, no matter if the pet flies in the cabin or in the cargo compartment.
A container must be large enough for a pet to stand up and turn around in a normal position. There also must be some food for the pet. Container must have access of oxygen and a solid pallet. It is paid as excess baggage.
If dogs are transported in the cabin, they must have muzzles on and be on the leash.

In what part of the plane are animals transported?
Transportation of animals in a cabin is forbidden almost by all airlines. An exception is made only for dogs under five kg (with some airlines – under 8 kg), guide-dogs for blind and deaf passengers. Guide-dogs are usually transferred free of charge. An individual ticket and an individual place is to be bought for a dog over 40 kg. Service of passengers with pets is a priority for most major international companies such as Lufthansa and Delta.

What documents do I need to transport my pet?
If you decide to go by plane on a vacation or to an exhibition with your pet, an airline should be informed about it beforehand.
As a rule for domestic flights you must have only a veterinary certificate, which is given three days prior to a trip and valid only during your trip. Such certificate must contain the owner’s surname, the name of your pet, his sex and age, dates of injections and analyses results for worms. It must also contain the information about your journey.
If you transport your pet beyond CIS, you must have not only a veterinary certificate, but an export license, which in some cases can be replaced by a pedigree certificate. Kindly note, that a veterinary certificate received by you three days prior to the trip, shall be replaced by an international veterinary certificate. Documents are checked by customs veterinary control on departure date. Many countries have strict limitations on animals import, requiring additional injections and certificates for your pet; your pet may be also kept in quarantine for 6 months. Antylissic injection is basic and obligatory for all countries.

Security 

How are liquids bought at the airport or on board checked?
Showing your boarding pass you can buy liquids (beverages, perfumes, creams and etc.) in shops located behind security check points at the airports of EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, the USA and Canada.
Having received your goods in a closed bag, don’t open it before going through security check points. There are no quantity restrictions for shopping at the airport. If you change your flight at other EU airport, it is also possible to go shopping for liquids there in similar shops. You can also buy liquids on board of a connecting flight, provided by an airline of a EU country.

How shall I pack liquids?
You may take only minimum volume of liquids on board. Liquids must be carried in 100ml or smaller containers. All items must be placed in a single clear, zip-top 1 liter or smaller plastic bag.

What exactly does a liquid mean?
A liquid means:
• water and other beverages, soups, syrups;
• creams, body milk and oils;
• perfumes;
• sprays;
• gels, including shampoos and shower gels;
• containers under pressure, including shaving foam, styling foam and other foam products and deodorants;
• pastes, including toothpaste;
• mixtures of viscous and liquid materials;
• All items of similar consistency.
What is not allowed to be taken on board?
The following items are prohibited to be carried by passengers during the flight, in accordance with current international regulations:
• Weapons;
• Ammunition;
• Knives and other sharp items;
• Toy weapons – realistic replicas (e.g. pistols, grenades);
• Radioactive materials;
• Flammables;
• Corrosive chemicals;
• Compressed gases;
• Poisons or toxic and contagious materials;
• Magnetic and other hazardous materials.

What is security control?
Air transport services are subject to strict safety rules and orders. These rules apply both to baggage and items you take on board and to your checked-in baggage.
Some items may be carried only in checked-in baggage. Dangerous items are prohibited for carriage.
Before going on board, you must go through safety check points; your hand baggage and personal items must be also checked. During the safety control:
• You must show your passport and valid boarding pass;
• During the inspection you will go through a check gate metal detector; Put your carry-ons, personal items and over clothes on a conveyor to be checked by detectors;
• All your electronic devices, for example mobile phones or laptop computers, must be checked as well. You should uncase your computer and place it on a conveyor so it can be checked separately;
• It’s recommended to travel wearing such shoes, which can be easily taken off and put on by you going through security control; your belt and over clothes (jacket, coat, sweater and etc.) must be checked as well;
• Don’t forget to take all metallic objects out of your pockets before entering check gate metal detector;
• You can be checked by a hand-held metal detector or inspected personally if specially needed.

What is the restriction on liquids?
The rules applying to volumes of liquids allowed to be taken going through security checkpoints, came into force in 2006. The rules apply to all persons travelling to EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, the USA and Canada and apply even if persons change flights in the above states to travel to other countries.
Additionally to identification of items forbidden to be carried, carry-ons are checked for prohibited items and materials (especially liquids and gels) during the security screening.

What items are allowed to be placed in carry-ons?
The following items are permitted:
• Liquids, gels, pastes in a clear, zip-top 1 liter or smaller plastic bag (maximum volume of liquid in one bag is 100 mil);
• Items for medical use (medicines, baby food to be used during the flight);
• Beverages, perfumes and other liquids bought in airport transit area and packed in closed bags.
Liquids to be used during the flight , for example liquids for medical use or liquids specially required for food, including infant food, are also allowed to be taken into a cabin. If you carry dietic or baby food, don’t take more than needed during the flight.
A security officer may ask you either to provide some food (e.g. baby food) in order to take samples or provide documents confirming the food origin (e.g. carrying insulin, you’ll need doctor’s confirmation or receipt issued in the passenger’s name).

Transportation of Disabled People 

How shall a disabled person get on/off board?

Ill (disabled) passengers and people accompanying them must get on board BEFORE other passengers. On arrival disabled passengers and people accompanying them get off the plane after all other passengers. A passenger, having checked-in his wheelchairs, can use a wheelchair provided by the airport or can wait for his own.

What is necessary for transportation of a disabled (ill) person?
Before the flight you should provide a signed medical report to the carrier, containing a permission and special requirements for transportation of a disabled or ill person.
Passengers requiring special assistance only at the airport or just to get on/off the plane don’t need a medical report and an accompanying person.
Such passengers are:
• blind and deaf passengers;
• elderly passengers;
• children with visible infectious diseases (measles, chickenpox and etc.).
Disabled, requiring special help on board must have a special medical report. Such passengers are:
• passengers whose behavior, mental or physical condition require special assistance or who could do harm to themselves or to other passengers, their property, the plane or to the air crew.
• passengers on stretchers;
• passengers having transmitting diseases (except usual childhood diseases);
• passenger who need special medical care, additional oxygen bag or medical equipment onboard;
• infants under 7 days;
• passengers whose arms and legs are cased in plaster or splinted.
These passengers shall be transported only with persons accompanying them (over 15 years old). A medical report shall be valid only for the flight number and date stipulated in it.
What passengers are considered to be disabled (ill)?
Passengers are considered to be disabled if their physical or mental condition requires special care during the transportation.

Travelling with Children - Things you need to know when travelling with children 

Are there any discounts for transportation of children?
Each airline has special tariffs for children. For example, on Aeroflot flights a child under two years old has a right on a ticket with 90% off from the cost of an “adult” economy class ticket. But in this case a child doesn’t have a separate free luggage allowance. A child 2 through 12 years old can receive a 50% discount for a ticket from the cost of an “adult” economy class ticket. But these tariffs are available only for children travelling with parents. If a child under nine years old is flying unaccompanied, he has to be bought a ticket as per adult tariff without any discounts, because a child “travelling alone” is considered to be a problem passenger, requiring additional care and constant control of flight attendants. Children over nine years old are rather independent according to Aeroflot’s opinion; they don’t need nurses and can fly with 50% discounts. But KLM airline gives children 33% off for an a economy class ticket and 50% off for a business class ticket, no matter if a child flies alone or with his parents.

How do airline personnel treat a child?
The person accompanying a child to the airport must remain with the child till he is taken by an airline employee together the application form containing the information about the young passenger and a person designated to meet the child.
An airline representative together with the child goes through check in, passport control and helps a child to take his seat on board.
A stewardess responsible for child has to keep an eye on him onboard. She accompanies a child to a restroom, feeds him, gives him an “air sick bag” and a blanket and etc.
On arrival a child is given by a stewardess to an airline representative, who accompanies a child until he is taken by people who meet him. A person meeting the child has to show his ID, otherwise the child will not be given to him.
If no one meets a child at the airport, an airline will contact his parents and find out where they should deliver a small passenger, even if the house, the kid is to be delivered to, is 100 km away from the airport.

What if I travel with an infant?
Unaccompanied infants are not allowed on board: there’s no one to feed them. Each airline has a special cradle, dummies and many diapers for little passengers. But to get all this, you should inform airline personnel not only during your ticket reservation, but also during the flight check-in. Otherwise a cradle will be reserved, but your place will be inconvenient to hang it.

How do airlines treat children travelling alone?
Both Russian and foreign airlines have strict age limits for children travelling alone. For example, Aeroflot doesn’t accept on board children under two years old traveling alone, and Dutch KLM doesn’t allow on board children under five years old traveling alone.
But the Dutch airline has developed a special “Junior Jet” program for children older than five years old: a child becomes a special passenger and is specially cared by KLM personnel from check-in till arrival at the final destination point.
Children traveling alone have a special “Junior Jet” badge. There are bright stickers on their baggage, and they are given lots of presents and full attention during the flight. That’s why reserving a ticket for international flights, parents should realize whether their underage child is ready for traveling alone by plane or not.

What should be done if my child flies unaccompanied?
Making a reservation, parents must inform airline employees that their child will travel alone.
You will also have to fill in an application form giving all the information about your child: full name, country of birth, language spoken, date of departure, flight number and the route. Besides, you’ll need to provide your home address and the phone number of a person, who will meet your child. Parents have to fill in such an application form only in case their child is under 13. If a child is a teen-ager, you can do without the application form. But making a reservation you should inform that your child is going to travel alone for the crew to be more attentive.
Please note that according to Bulgarian law “On Entry into and Exit from Bulgaria” children under 18 (traveling without adults) must have a notarized permission provided by a child’s parents. The permission must not only state that the child is permitted to travel alone, but indicate the country of destination and duration of a trip. Otherwise the ticket won’t be reserved; your child will not be allowed onboard to travel abroad.

Service
Is it possible to order food before the flight?
Passengers can order food before the flight. You can order so called special food, this service is absolutely free, but not guaranteed. Standard set of rations for special food includes vegetarian, kosher, dietetic, diabetic, low-cal, seafood; you can also order medicinal nutrition (there is large stock of rations, including gluten-free dishes or dishes with low content of urea). Baby ration is included into standard menu on international flights, but you should order it on domestic flights. Special menu order shall be made not later than a day before the flight.

What are classes of service?
Most airlines have three classes of service – “first”, “business” and “economy”.
These classes differ from each other by the level of service provided both at the airport and on board. Passengers having economy class tickets (full or special tariff) are offered food on board, including soft drinks, juices, wine or beer depending on route, departure time and flight duration. Newspapers, magazines and other printings are offered during the rest; a wide range of duty free goods is also offered.
Higher level of service is available for business class passengers. There are individual check-in counters with no queues at airport. Business-rooms to relax before the flight may also be made available. Business class passengers travel in a business class cabin on board; more comfortable seats and media will allow you to rest during long journeys without interrupting your business communication. Various menu and beverages will make even a long flight easy and nice.
Level of service for first class passengers is higher. More attention is paid to passengers, the menu is more diverse and beverages are more exquisite. Apart from this, first (sometimes business) class passengers are invited to a preflight relaxation room with free strong and soft drinks and snacks available. One can use services of a business center there: photocopy a document, make a call, send a message via e-mail. Baby travel set is provided on all flights for kids (children under 2 years old); this set includes articles of daily necessity, health and other aids, required for a baby during the journey.