Hemus Air
Encyclopedia
Hemus Air was an airline
based in Sofia
, Bulgaria
. It operated scheduled domestic and international services from Sofia
and Varna
, as well as charter, cargo and air ambulance services. Its main base was Sofia Airport
, with a hub at Varna Airport
. After the acquisition of Bulgaria Air
, all of Hemus Air's destinations are now under the plate of Bulgaria Air
.
, is owned by Varna-based industrial/financial enterprise TIM. The airline was established and started operations in 1986, when it branched off from Balkan Bulgarian Airlines
. It initially operated as a separate department providing ambulance services, flight calibration and aerial photography. In 1996 it became a separate legal entity from Balkan and was named Hemus Air. The company was privatized by Bulgarian corporate investors in 2002 and has since faced stiff competition from foreign carriers, as well as the newly-established successor of Balkan, Bulgaria Air
. Hemus Air's management pledged to unite the major Bulgarian airlines and was selected as the preferred bidder for the sale of Bulgaria Air by the Bulgarian government. Hemus acquired a 99.9% stake in the flag carrier, reportedly for Euro 6.6m and a promise to invest a further €86m over the next five years. Hemus and Bulgaria Air have already started codesharing on the Sofia-Berlin Tegel
route, coordinating their schedules and operations early in 2007. Hemus Air received some aircraft from Bulgaria Air.
with a 99.99% share of the airline for €6.6 million. The new airline will operate under the Bulgaria Air
brand.
As of February 2009, all Hemus Air aircraft are operating for the parent company, Bulgaria Air
.
.
The Hemus Air fleet includes the following aircraft (at 25 February 2010):
Most of these aircraft are operating for Bulgaria Air
until the two airline's merge, then they will all be transferred to Bulgaria Air's fleet.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. It operated scheduled domestic and international services from Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
and Varna
Varna
Varna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 334,870 inhabitants according to Census 2011...
, as well as charter, cargo and air ambulance services. Its main base was Sofia Airport
Sofia Airport
Sofia Airport , sometimes also called Letishte Sofia-Vrazhdebna , is the main airport in Sofia, Bulgaria. Located east of central Sofia. In 2010 the number of passengers was 3.3 million...
, with a hub at Varna Airport
Varna Airport
-Seasonal Charter flights:-Passenger statistic:-See also:* List of airports in Bulgaria* List of airlines of Bulgaria* List of the busiest airports in Europe by passenger traffic-External links:* *...
. After the acquisition of Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air , is the flag carrier airline of Bulgaria, with its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport in Sofia. The company is owned by Chimimport Inc and is a leader in terms of market share...
, all of Hemus Air's destinations are now under the plate of Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air , is the flag carrier airline of Bulgaria, with its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport in Sofia. The company is owned by Chimimport Inc and is a leader in terms of market share...
.
History
Hemus Air, named after the ancient name for the Balkan mountainsBalkan Mountains
The Balkan mountain range is a mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The Balkan range runs 560 km from the Vrashka Chuka Peak on the border between Bulgaria and eastern Serbia eastward through central Bulgaria to Cape Emine on the Black Sea...
, is owned by Varna-based industrial/financial enterprise TIM. The airline was established and started operations in 1986, when it branched off from Balkan Bulgarian Airlines
Balkan Bulgarian Airlines
Balkan Airlines was Bulgaria's government-owned flag carrier between 1947 and 2002. During the 1970s the airliner became a significant European carrier. The company encountered financial instability following the fall of communism in Eastern Europe...
. It initially operated as a separate department providing ambulance services, flight calibration and aerial photography. In 1996 it became a separate legal entity from Balkan and was named Hemus Air. The company was privatized by Bulgarian corporate investors in 2002 and has since faced stiff competition from foreign carriers, as well as the newly-established successor of Balkan, Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air , is the flag carrier airline of Bulgaria, with its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport in Sofia. The company is owned by Chimimport Inc and is a leader in terms of market share...
. Hemus Air's management pledged to unite the major Bulgarian airlines and was selected as the preferred bidder for the sale of Bulgaria Air by the Bulgarian government. Hemus acquired a 99.9% stake in the flag carrier, reportedly for Euro 6.6m and a promise to invest a further €86m over the next five years. Hemus and Bulgaria Air have already started codesharing on the Sofia-Berlin Tegel
Berlin-Tegel International Airport
Berlin Tegel "Otto Lilienthal" Airport is the main international airport in Berlin, Germany. It lies in Tegel, a section of the northern borough of Reinickendorf, northwest of the city centre of Berlin. Tegel Airport is notable for its hexagonal terminal building around an open square, which...
route, coordinating their schedules and operations early in 2007. Hemus Air received some aircraft from Bulgaria Air.
Bulgaria Air and Hemus Air merger
In November 2006, Balkan Hemus Group sealed a deal to purchase Bulgaria AirBulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air , is the flag carrier airline of Bulgaria, with its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport in Sofia. The company is owned by Chimimport Inc and is a leader in terms of market share...
with a 99.99% share of the airline for €6.6 million. The new airline will operate under the Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air , is the flag carrier airline of Bulgaria, with its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport in Sofia. The company is owned by Chimimport Inc and is a leader in terms of market share...
brand.
As of February 2009, all Hemus Air aircraft are operating for the parent company, Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air , is the flag carrier airline of Bulgaria, with its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport in Sofia. The company is owned by Chimimport Inc and is a leader in terms of market share...
.
Destinations
All Hemus Air destinations are now operated under the commercial brand of Bulgaria AirBulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air , is the flag carrier airline of Bulgaria, with its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport in Sofia. The company is owned by Chimimport Inc and is a leader in terms of market share...
.
Fleet
| Aircraft | Total | Passengers | Routes | Registrations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A319-100 | 2 | 144 | Short-Medium haul Europe and Middle East |
LZ-FBA / FBB | Operating for Bulgaria Air Bulgaria Air Bulgaria Air , is the flag carrier airline of Bulgaria, with its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport in Sofia. The company is owned by Chimimport Inc and is a leader in terms of market share... (FBA/FBB) |
| ATR 42-300 ATR 42 -Civil operators:The largest operators of the ATR-42 are FedEx Express, Airlinair, TRIP Linhas Aéreas,and Mexico City-based Aeromar respectively. Number of aircraft as of 2010:Some 70 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type.... |
2 | 46/48 | Short haul Balkans |
LZ-ATR / ATS | Operating for Athens Airways Athens Airways Athens Airways was a Greek regional airline, headquartered in Koropi, Athens. The airline used to connect Alexandroupoli, Athens and Thessaloniki with some Greek islands, as well offering chartered flights... (ATR/ATS) |
| Avro RJ70 | 1 | 26 | Short haul VIP | LZ-TIM | Operating for TIM Holding (TIM) |
| BAe146-200 BAe 146 The British Aerospace 146 is a medium-sized commercial airliner formerly manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of an improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992... |
3 | 90 | Short-Medium haul Europe |
HBB / HBC / HBZ | 2 operating for Bulgaria Air Bulgaria Air Bulgaria Air , is the flag carrier airline of Bulgaria, with its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport in Sofia. The company is owned by Chimimport Inc and is a leader in terms of market share... (HBB/HBC) 1 operating for Taban Air Taban Air thumb|right|A Taban Air [[BAe-146]] at [[Mehrabad Airport]], [[Iran]]. thumb|right|A Taban Air [[Tupolev Tu-154M]] at [[Shiraz International Airport]], [[Iran]].... (HBZ) |
| BAe146-300 BAe 146 The British Aerospace 146 is a medium-sized commercial airliner formerly manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of an improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992... |
4 | 110 | Short haul Europe |
LZ-HBD / HBE / HBF / HBG | 3 operating for Bulgaria Air Bulgaria Air Bulgaria Air , is the flag carrier airline of Bulgaria, with its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport in Sofia. The company is owned by Chimimport Inc and is a leader in terms of market share... (HBE/HBF/HBG) 1 operating for Taban Air Taban Air thumb|right|A Taban Air [[BAe-146]] at [[Mehrabad Airport]], [[Iran]]. thumb|right|A Taban Air [[Tupolev Tu-154M]] at [[Shiraz International Airport]], [[Iran]].... (HBD) |
| Boeing 737-300 Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers... |
1 | - | Short haul Europe |
LZ-HVB | Operating for Bulgaria Air Bulgaria Air Bulgaria Air , is the flag carrier airline of Bulgaria, with its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport in Sofia. The company is owned by Chimimport Inc and is a leader in terms of market share... (HVB) |
| Total | 14 |
Most of these aircraft are operating for Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria Air , is the flag carrier airline of Bulgaria, with its head office on the grounds of Sofia Airport in Sofia. The company is owned by Chimimport Inc and is a leader in terms of market share...
until the two airline's merge, then they will all be transferred to Bulgaria Air's fleet.