Bulgaria's flag carrier received Monday a certificate from the International Aviation Transport Association (IATA) in recognition of its high safety standards.

The document, handed to Bulgaria's Transport Minister Petar Mutafchiev, makes Bulgaria Air one of 200 airlines in the world, which have managed to meet the strictest requirements in aviation safety.

The IATA Operational Safety Audit is considered the benchmark for global safety management in airlines.

By 2007, all IATA Members had to successfully undergo the IOSA audit in order to achieve or maintain IATA Membership.

At the beginning of this year Bulgaria's sale body and Balkan Hemus Ggroup signed the privatisation contract for the acquisition of a 99,99% stake in flag carrier Bulgaria Air.

Bulgaria-based Balkan Hemus Group, part of airline company Hemus Air, offered to buy the flag carrier for BGN 13 M (about EUR 6.6 M). It vowed to invest EUR 82.1 M in it and create about 500 new jobs by the end of the fifth year after the sale.

IATA data shows that 2007 will be the first financially successful year for the aviation sector since the terror attacks on September 11.

Losses incurred since then have mounted to USD 400 B worldwide, while passengers and airlines have been paying USD 6,5 B per year for stepping up security measures.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!