Hi
Although we are having problems this year, two years ago we went with balkan and everything was excellent.
The hotel we were in was great and the flights all left on time, thats why we rebooked with them this year.
Hopefully they will have sorted out their flight programme for next year and things will improve.
Have a great holiday and a good rest.

Hi,

I have done two AOA holidays and one flight only with Balkan in the past.

Late notified detours en route from Varna back to Cardiff via Belfast on two occasions aside, the aircraft (Airbus A320s) were fine, the flight attendants were fine, in-flight snacks were OK, the resort reps were good to excellent and the hotels were more than adequate for the price.

Baldur

Hi, Until Spet 2006 I had done 17 Holidays with Balkans, with no serious complaints. The only reason I changed last September was I went D.I.Y but still stayed in a Balkan Holiday Hotel. I am doing same this May, but in Aug I am reverting back to Complete trip with Balkan Holidays, Preferred the old Turpelov planes, much softer landings than the Airbusses. Found Staff on all trips presentable and they do reconise you. The Balkan reps have always been top class, in fact I am always in contact with two of them via net. and one that left to go to First Choice.
My gut feeling is, they have tried to expand to too many airports, and the market is not there. If they were to revert to say 8 Airports, they would fill their planes. remeber it is not only Balkan who are messing flights about. Tonyt

I agree with Tony's opinion of Balkan Holidays. We have travelled with them since 1989 and they are without doubt the market leader for Bulgaria and by far the best.

Most of the major complaints of the past few years arise from the activities of other travel companies who have commenced operations in Bulgaria, not Balkan.

They have the widest choice of resorts and hotels, and the best informed Representatives, most of whom have been doing the job for years.

The current problems regarding flights arise from a number of causes I think. Balkan now use some UK airports they didn't in the past, and of course there is competition from other companies and independent travel using different aircraft, but over all I see a contraction of the UK market.

Informed sources within Balkan Holidays tell me that numbers traveling with them from the UK in 2006 were a third down on 2005, thus flights are not being filled hence the cancellations and amalgamations. Other travel companies appear to be having similar problems.

I just wish that Balkan could prune their flight schedules down to something more realistic, for the past three or four years they have been way out.

Peter

Hi you have probably seen my post about them on the change of flights post. We have now sorted our holiday out and have actually come out with a better deal.

We too have travelled with Balkan before with no problems - the planes are certainly more spacious than with First Choice who we travelled with last year and I agree they have the best choice of hotels in Bulgaria.

Hopefully next year they will sort it out. When I spoke to Balkan today they did say that they thought all the changes had now been made however they couldn't guarantee it which is fair enough so hopefullly if you haven't heard anything by now you are likely to be unaffected.

Alpech

Hi, I already know I am on Scheduled flight from Gatwick in August. On British Airways 30th May. Thanks for you thoughts. Tonyt.

Hi

I have had two holidays with Balkan and found them to be very good.
I'm not an experienced flier but my girlfriend is and she said that the flights were the smoothest she has had.
Transfers went smoothly and the reps were always there at the times they said.
I wouldn't hesitate in booking with them again, although i said at the time that flying out of all these new airports there wouldn't be the customers to fill them.

Basil.

Hi - I have had two holidays with Balkan and am going with them this year. They changed our flight last year and this year's one will be leaving a few hours later, but it wasn't really any big deal to us. So we have been quite happy and I think they offer excellent value for money.

Hi There,

We have travelled with Balkan on a number of occasions to Both SB & GS without any incident whatsoever.

However, this year we have been told our Sept. flight will be going to pick up in Manchester, this isn't ideal but other companies are also combining flights so there isn't a lot we can do about it if we want to go.

Toonman

hi toonman so your going in sept when and where are you going as the wife and me are going on the 10 sept from newcastle back to sunny pomorie we have had no word and dont expect to until closer to the time but look forward to another trip to manchester or somewehere (oh the fun)
let me know if your close and maybe we can have a pint or two together

balken tend to go to other airports to pick passenges up. last year we had about a months notice to say that we were travelling from manchester to newcstle and onto varna. we were at newcastle airport for about an hour on the tarmac(not allowed to get off plane), it wasnt to bad, but i did feel for the newcastle passengers on return. after a very early start from resort we landed at manchester and then onto newcstle. it was a tiring enough day for us, so it must of been worse for the others. it could of been worse, i know some had to go to southhampton or ireland when travellilng to/form brum i htink.

balken tend to go to other airports to pick passenges up.

No they don't. This is merely a problem of the last few of years due to a significant contraction of the UK market, and it's happening with other companies.

In the past Balkan have flown direct from their listed airports. The problem is that they (and other companies) are being too optimistic when they publish their flight schedules.

As I stated earlier -

Informed sources within Balkan Holidays tell me that numbers traveling with them from the UK in 2006 were a third down on 2005, thus flights are not being filled hence the cancellations and amalgamations. Other travel companies appear to be having similar problems.

I just wish that Balkan could prune their flight schedules down to something more realistic, for the past three or four years they have been way out.

Peter

Hi, Balkan are warning their passengers for 2008 of the following.
Flights from BRISTOL, CARDIFF, DONCASTER/SHEFFIELD and ABERDEEN will fly to Bourgas and bussed to the Varna Area.

BELFAST to Bourgas will only go to VARNA and bussed to Bourgas area.

They are also using the schedule flight of Bulgaria Air from Gatwick to Varna on Mons, Weds and Frids. It is all in the small print of Brochure 2008. Tonyt

Thanks Tony. In theory it's a step in the right direction if they stick to what they are stating. At least people will know what they are signing up for.

Peter

hi,i used to work for Balkan in Sunny Beach and i can tell you first hand sometimes it was a nightmare at Bourgas airport but just the same with the other tour operators. In fact our reps there /there were four of them on arrivals and two on departures/ did a great job and we rarely had an angry customer. They were local guys and seemed to know everybody at the airport so our clients usually had no problems at all with passport control, lost luggage etc. and were first to be served. It was fun sometimes as you see the reps of the "big ones" like Thomas Cook, First Choice wondering what's going on, why their guests were kept so long in there, while the balkan reps were shuttling in and out all the "restricted, border areas" chatting to the policemen, customs etc. I couldn't say the same for the resort reps who were all after the money, some of them had no idea what it is to work in the tourist industry as they hadn't done it before, some of them didn't even speak fluent English and were obviously appointed as reps because of "good connections" as a Bulgarian would put it /they make quite a lot of money for the average bulgarian standards/. As a whole Balkan isn't that bad, and Sasha /the head rep in Sunny beach/ very charming and funny lady.