Sofia Airport to Get Rid of Old Terminal, Build New One

Bulgaria's Sofia Airport is to demolish its old Terminal 1, seeking to construct a new terminal on the same location in five years, Sofia Airport CEO Veselin Peykov has announced.

Peykov has told the Bulgarian National Television that constructing a new terminal in the place of the old one would save money.

Noting that Terminal 1 has serviced tens of millions of passengers since it was opened in 1937, Peykov has explained that "times are different now" and a more modern terminal is necessary.

He revealed that the new terminal would have the capacity to service some 5 million passengers per year, or twice as many as the airport's other existing terminal, Terminal 2.

The new terminal is expected to have 16 to 18 passenger boarding bridges and a parking lot consisting of several levels.

The Sofia Airport should be offered on concession, Peykov has also stated.

"We may even consider privatizing the whole airport. Private-owned airports exist in many places in Europe and around the world," the CEO has pointed out.