The Career Portal of the Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association is aimed at:
– professionals and young talents
– employers from the aviation industry
– organisations looking for qualified personnel

What the platform offers:
publishing up-to-date job adverts direct connection between employers and candidates
visibility for professionals with sector expertise
support for career development in aviation

Our goal is clear:
to build a sustainable link between education, business and real employment in aviation.

BAIA continues to work for the development of human capital – the industry’s most valuable resource.

Explore the portal and become part of the aviation community:

Aviation Jobs | BAIA Career Portal

The post BAIA Launches Aviation Career Portal in Bulgaria appeared first on BAIA.

On 21.08.2023 in the Ministry of Innovation and Growth was held a fruitful working meeting between Minister Milena Stoycheva, Deputy Minister Georgi Angelov and the Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association (BAIA): Todor Ivandjikov – President of BAIA, together with his PR team – Desislava Pingelova and Valko Pingelov, and Nikolay Kalaydzhiev – three-time World Record Holder.

The meeting discussed the priority areas of impact, building and supporting the development of the country’s aviation industry and training and qualification centers with the support of the Ministry of Innovation.

Minister Stoycheva’s team presented the priorities for current and upcoming programs related to aviation and new technologies, as well as possible forms of funding, focusing on the need for close interaction between business and academia to achieve the goals in an intelligent and scientifically sound way. Current issues related to procedures under public consultation were discussed in order to improve and facilitate the application, implementation and monitoring system.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Minister Stoycheva and her team for the time, professional and competent explanation of the opportunities that can and should be used to support the development of the aviation industry in Bulgaria.

The post Working meeting between the Ministry of Innovation and BAIA appeared first on BAIA.

There is no “huge scandal” or any such thing in transportation. Negotiations on state aid for companies in the Bulgarian aviation industry are going smoothly and in the spirit of positive cooperation with the ministries of the caretaker government. We at the Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association (BAIA) would like to note that this is the first time that the Council of Ministers, in the person of Transport Minister Georgi Todorov and Finance Minister Assen Vassilev, has given a hand to the domestic aviation sector with specific actions. We are forced to state this position because of distorted information that has appeared in some media outlets such as PIK, apparently with the aim of creating unnecessary tension and artificial traffic build-up.

Following a number of appeals on our part for the release of funds to companies in the aviation sector that were affected by the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, several meetings were held in various ministries. The Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications (MTITC) came out with a positive opinion that funds available with Sofia Airport EAD should be redirected to help some airlines that are literally facing bankruptcy. The Council of Ministers does not “cut” other companies such as ground handling and maintenance companies, but puts them on hold because of European requirements for such subsidies. There is a huge difference in the two and there will be further discussion on how to help them as well.

We would like to note that in our published announcement we have not mentioned the names of companies such as Lufthansa Technic Sofia, Fraport Twin Star Airport Management LTD and GoldAir Handling, which, although are registered in Bulgaria, but not a members of BAIA and we have not taken their opinion and statement.

We would also like to ask the media not to distort information in order to create scandals, because by doing so they only sow tension, worsen our relations with the institutions and harm Bulgarian aviation in their effort to put certain departments and politicians in an explanatory mode and in a bad position. We do not deal with politics and we have other goals and ways of communication. If you want to help, do it constructively and in concert with the names you cite. Thanks in advance!

Last but not least, we thank the Prime Minister, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Finance for their good attitude and communication towards us so far. We hope to continue working in the same spirit and to restart the aviation sector, as it is of great importance for the Bulgarian economy, especially in times of crisis.

The post NO SCANDAL IN TRANSPORT, THE CARETAKER GOVERNMENT IS THE FIRST TO LEND A HAND TO BULGARIAN AVIATION appeared first on BAIA.

The procedure for granting state aid to the carriers is starting, but it will not happen quickly as most airline owners and managers would like. However, the airline sector should continue to be a priority for the government as it is of utmost importance to the country’s economy. This was stated by Mr. Todor Ivandjikov – President of the Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association (BAIA) after another meeting at the Ministry of Transport. The meeting took place on Thursday, 22 of July and was attended by the Minister of Transport Mr. Georgi Todorov, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Transport Ms. Hristina Velinova, the Secretary of the Cabinet of the Ministry of Transport Ms. Karasimira Stoyanova, the Chief Executive Director of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation Mr. Hristo Shcherionov and representatives of the two Associations BAIA and BAA (Bulgarian Airlines Association).

At the meeting the steps and how to define the criteria for granting state aid to companies in the aviation industry were discussed.

The BAIA insists that the aid should not be only for the airlines, but also for the others affected in the aviation sector – maintenance and ground handling companies and others, but according to the Ministry this is not possible. It may be recalled that in the last one month, following a number of appeals by BAIA, meetings of the association’s representatives in the various line ministries have become more frequent. After Minister Todorov agreed that the funds available at Sofia Airport LTD should be allocated to the airlines, the criteria for the allocation of these funds were shaped. At the last meeting last week it became clear that in fact 30 million euros will be allocated instead of the 60 million euros that were left in the Sofia Airport State Enterprise. Mr. Ivandjikov added:

“A plan must be made for the appropriate and fair distribution of the state aid, the necessary forms must be filled in for coordination with the European Union (EU), which must give its approval for the release of the funds. Only then the Bulgarian government will be able to take any action. This is expected to happen around September and October.”

The post TODOR IVANDJIKOV: THE AVIATION SECTOR MUST CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY FOR THE GOVERNMENT appeared first on BAIA.

Criteria for funds allocation have been developed

On 22 of July at the Ministry of Transport with representatives of the Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association (BIAI) and the Bulgarian Airlines Association (BAA) will be discussed the options for granting state aid to companies in the aviation sector. This was announced by the president of the organization, Todor Ivandjikov, who received an invitation from the ministry yesterday.

So, in fact, after months of appeals, the two associations are one step away from their ultimate goal – to convince the government that the domestic aviation will not survive without additional support. A number of letters have been sent to line ministries and several meetings have been held, the latest of which took place on 19 of July at the Ministry of Finance. On behalf of BAIA, Todor Ivandjikov and Secretary Yanko Ivanov attended the event.

We would like to remind you that at the end of June BAIA asked for part of the funds available at Sofia Airport to be used to help the airline industry. It is about 60 million leva left after the concession. Subsequently, the caretaker Minister of Transport Georgi Todorov sent a letter to Ivandzhikov with a copy to the President of the BAA, in which he agreed that these funds should be redirected to help the companies in the aviation sector.

In this line, the two associations have drawn up criteria by which these funds can be allocated fairly. Some of these include the following requirements, namely: Airlines must have a valid Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and Operating Licence; Aircraft must be listed in the AOC specifications of the respective operator; Aid is only allocated to aircraft with a valid Certificate of Airworthiness with Bulgarian registration and a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate as well as an active insurance policy; at least 1 crew is available for each of the aircraft on a contract of employment with the given carrier; the airline operates passenger scheduled and/or charter flights; the airline has at least 25 staff; the carrier operates commercial passenger services with a total capacity of at least 21 passenger seats, etc.

Last but not least, the fact that maintenance companies, training centres and handling agents are also extremely hard hit and that there is currently a huge inter-company indebtedness is also taken into account. This is why BAIA and BAA propose that aviation operators should commit to paying off Bulgarian companies in the industry as a matter of priority so that the financial assistance has a beneficial effect on the entire industry.

In this regard, Mr Ivandzhikov said:

“We are ready to set up a work-group to draw up a short programme of financial support to be sent from the Minister of Transport to the Minister of Finance. We have already provided the criteria together with our colleagues from the BAA. We would like them to be refined as soon as possible to be submitted to the MoF, for which we are ready to provide colleagues for a work-group. Let us inform the members of all the letters.”

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