European Air Charter
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA Bulgarian ACMI, wet-lease and charter airline headquartered in Sofia.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
European Air Charter is a Bulgarian charter and ACMI airline headquartered in Sofia. It was established in 2000 as Bulgarian Air Charter and began flying on 14 December of that year. The airline initially concentrated on leisure-oriented charter services departing from Bulgarian airports, connecting holiday destinations in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Over time, its business developed beyond traditional seasonal charter flying to include ACMI and wet-lease services for other airlines and tour operators. The company supplies aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance under ACMI arrangements. In these contracts, the partner airline generally retains responsibility for commercial scheduling, ticket sales and other customer-facing aspects of the service. This model allows European Air Charter to provide seasonal or supplemental capacity without requiring partner carriers to acquire additional aircraft or permanent crews. The airline also undertakes charter and on-demand flying, serving leisure programs and other contracted transportation requirements. The carrier's fleet history reflects the transition of many European charter operators from Soviet-era and older second-generation aircraft to Airbus narrow-body equipment. Its early operations used Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft, followed by McDonnell Douglas MD-80-series aircraft. Bulgarian Air Charter became one of the last European operators of the McDonnell Douglas MD-82, retaining the type into the 2020s. Airbus A320-family aircraft began entering the fleet in 2015, initiating a gradual replacement of the MD-80s. The remaining MD-82 aircraft were retired in October 2023, completing the move to an all-Airbus A320 fleet. In May 2021, the airline adopted the commercial name European Air Charter. The rebranding accompanied a broader international positioning and a greater emphasis on ACMI and wet-lease activity. In the period after the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for flexible capacity and aircraft outsourcing increased the importance of these services within the company's operating model. European Air Charter has provided ACMI capacity for carriers including Condor, GP Aviation, BlueBird and TUS Airways, according to referenced company and industry information. A significant part of the airline's capabilities is its in-house maintenance organization at Sofia Airport. The organization supports the carrier's Airbus A320 fleet and has EASA Part-145 approval. Its described capabilities include line and base maintenance, defect rectification, heavy maintenance inspections, component work, structural repairs, borescope inspections, non-destructive testing and aircraft-on-ground support. The organization has also listed maintenance capabilities for Airbus A320-family aircraft, Boeing 737 Classic and Next Generation aircraft, and MD-80-series aircraft. European Air Charter additionally works with approved training organizations on Airbus A320 base training and supervised line flying. These programs are intended for approved training providers and their pilot candidates rather than being presented as a general direct-to-consumer pilot school. The airline remains focused on contracted airline capacity, charter operations, maintenance support and related aviation services rather than on a large scheduled passenger network under its own retail brand.
History
European Air Charter was established in 2000 under the name Bulgarian Air Charter and commenced operations on 14 December 2000. Its initial business was centered on charter flights from Bulgarian airports to leisure destinations. The principal markets included European holiday locations as well as destinations in the Middle East and North Africa, reflecting the seasonal travel patterns of Bulgarian tour operators and other tourism businesses. The carrier began with Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft and later operated McDonnell Douglas MD-80-series aircraft. The MD-80 became an important part of the company's identity and operating capability during the 2000s and 2010s. In particular, the airline remained among the final European operators of the McDonnell Douglas MD-82. This fleet allowed the carrier to serve conventional charter routes while it built a larger international operating profile. In 2015, the airline started introducing Airbus A320-family aircraft. The change began a long fleet modernization process and gradually reduced reliance on the older MD-80 aircraft. The Airbus narrow-body fleet was suited to the carrier's short- and medium-haul charter missions and to ACMI contracts requiring a common, widely supported aircraft type. In October 2023, the remaining MD-82 aircraft were retired, completing the transition to an all-Airbus A320 fleet. The company adopted the commercial name European Air Charter in May 2021. The new name signaled a positioning broader than its original Bulgarian charter identity. Alongside its own charter work, the airline increasingly presented itself as an ACMI and wet-lease provider. Under this model, European Air Charter supplies the aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance, while the contracting carrier normally controls the commercial schedule and customer distribution. The model is particularly useful for seasonal demand, temporary fleet shortages and network expansion without direct aircraft ownership by the customer airline. European Air Charter's reported ACMI relationships have included Condor, GP Aviation, BlueBird and TUS Airways. Its activity spans Europe, Africa, the Middle East and other international markets, with operations combining seasonal capacity, short- and medium-haul flying, dedicated charters and on-demand services. The airline's crews are trained in accordance with EASA requirements and the procedures of partner airlines, including recurrent safety training, crew resource management and service-specific operational preparation. Maintenance is another central element of the business. European Air Charter operates an in-house maintenance organization at Sofia Airport. The organization supports the airline's Airbus fleet and holds EASA Part-145 approval. Its stated capabilities cover line maintenance, base maintenance, defect rectification, heavy inspections, component services, structural repairs, non-destructive testing, borescope inspections and aircraft-on-ground assistance. The maintenance organization has also described support for Boeing 737 Classic and Next Generation aircraft and MD-80-series aircraft, in addition to Airbus A320-family aircraft. The airline has also worked with approved training organizations on Airbus A320 base training and supervised line flying. These arrangements provide practical aircraft experience after simulator-based type-rating training and are aimed at approved training organizations and accredited providers. Taken together, the airline's fleet modernization, maintenance infrastructure and training partnerships support a business model built around flexible contracted capacity rather than a large, independently marketed scheduled network.
- 2023
MD-82 fleet retirement
[1]The last McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft left the fleet in October, completing the move to all-Airbus A320 operations.
- 2021
Commercial rebranding as European Air Charter
[1]Bulgarian Air Charter adopted the European Air Charter name in May as its international ACMI and wet-lease activity grew.
- 2015
Airbus A320-family introduction
[1]The airline introduced Airbus A320-family aircraft, beginning the gradual replacement of its MD-80-series fleet.
- 2000
Bulgarian Air Charter is established
[1]The airline was founded as Bulgarian Air Charter and began commercial operations on 14 December 2000.
Products and positioning
A Bulgarian aviation services provider positioned around flexible Airbus A320 capacity, ACMI and wet-lease operations, charter flying, and integrated maintenance support.
Airline capacity services
ACMI and wet-lease services
European Air Charter provides aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance to partner airlines under ACMI or wet-lease arrangements. The customer carrier generally remains responsible for commercial scheduling and sales. The service is designed for seasonal demand, temporary capacity gaps, network expansion and other situations in which a carrier needs operational aircraft without adding permanent fleet resources.
Passenger air transport · 2000
Charter flights
The airline operates contracted charter flights for airlines, tour operators and other customers. Its charter activity has historically focused on leisure travel from Bulgaria and has served destinations across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, with additional international operations depending on seasonal contracts and customer requirements.
Aircraft fleet and operations · 2015
Airbus A320-family operations
European Air Charter operates an all-Airbus A320 fleet following the retirement of its remaining MD-82 aircraft in October 2023. The narrow-body Airbus platform supports the airline's short- and medium-haul charter, ACMI and wet-lease missions and provides a common operational basis for crew training and maintenance.
Aviation maintenance
Aircraft maintenance services
The in-house maintenance organization at Sofia Airport supports European Air Charter's own fleet and provides technical capabilities including line and base maintenance, defect rectification, heavy checks, component services, structural repairs, borescope inspections, non-destructive testing and aircraft-on-ground support. The organization holds EASA Part-145 approval.
Pilot training support
A320 training support
Through cooperation with approved training organizations, the airline supports Airbus A320 base training and supervised line flying. The arrangements are intended for accredited training providers and their pilots, offering aircraft-based experience after simulator training and supporting initial operational experience under qualified instruction.
Brand decisions
2023
Complete retirement of the MD-82 fleetGeneration changeBackground
After several years of Airbus A320-family introduction, the carrier retained only its remaining MD-82 aircraft from the older generation.
Action taken
European Air Charter retired the final MD-82 aircraft in October 2023.
Aftermath
The carrier completed its transition to all-Airbus A320 operations, simplifying the fleet used for charter and ACMI work.
2021
Rebrand from Bulgarian Air Charter to European Air CharterStrategyBackground
The airline had expanded beyond its original Bulgarian leisure-charter identity and was increasing its international ACMI and wet-lease activity.
Action taken
In May 2021, it changed its commercial name to European Air Charter.
Aftermath
The new name supported a broader international positioning while the airline continued charter, ACMI and wet-lease operations.
2015
Begin transition from MD-80 aircraft to Airbus A320 aircraftGeneration changeBackground
The airline's earlier fleet included Tupolev Tu-154 and McDonnell Douglas MD-80-series aircraft, while Airbus narrow-body aircraft offered a newer platform for charter and contracted operations.
Action taken
The airline introduced Airbus A320-family aircraft and began a gradual fleet replacement.
Aftermath
The transition culminated in the retirement of the remaining MD-82 aircraft in October 2023 and an all-Airbus A320 fleet.
Recent events
Reported
Bulgarian Air Charter introduces European Air Charter brand[3]
The airline formerly known as Bulgarian Air Charter was continuing operations as European Air Charter. Following the joint-stock company's official name change in January, the article reported that the new brand was starting to be introduced.
Sources3 sources
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