The Bulgaria Air company has in effect blackmailed foreign tourists into paying twice for their tickets by cancelling flights and stranding them on the Burgas Airport, according to a spokesperson of the Russian Tourist Industry Union.

Some 650 tourists headed to Russia and Finland were blocked in Burgas after Air Bulgaria cancelled 4 flights booked by Bulgarian tour operator Alma Tour due to the latter's alleged debt of EUR 3.5 M to the carrier.

One of the flight has been rearranged at the expense of a contracting Russian tourist agency, but the fate of the 500 remaining passengers remains unclear, as negotiations between the companies, brokered by Bulgarian and Russian government officials, have achieved little progress.

"Bulgaria Air is in effect making those tourists to pay again for their plane tickets by stranding them in Burgas Airport," commented Russian Tourist Industry Union spokesperson Irina Tyurina, quoted by RIA Novosti.

She also said she has information that some of the tourists have already purchased tickets for other flights, in order to be able to return home.

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