EXPOSING BULGARIA AIR - NO CREW, NO SAFETY, NO EVERYTHING!

[@artty77]

Hello Josh! A Bulgarian subscriber of yours here. When You called them criminals, You have no idea how on point You were. Couple of decades ago, the whole political-oligarchy machine in here, deliberately bankrupted the original, old national carrier, Balkan Airlines, which was a very well established entity. This phoney thing now, calling itself a national carrier, is owned by TIM Holding, "a group engaged in organized criminal activities" as the US State Department called it. That's how they are know to anyone in here as well. Don't expect passion for the line of business, customer care or anything. It's nothing but a money laundering operation for them. They own dozens of different businesses, from this, to chemical plants, banking, electronic media. They don't care. All they do, is make some quick money, and embarrass us locals in the process. Thanks for Your honesty and constant work on these videos!

[@ivangeorgiev763]

Very well said. Браво

[@Ati27]

Yep, can confirm. But he should be happy he didn't get snack. Last time mine was way past it's expiration day. So maybe it's a good thing!

[@theK1ller5]

Yeah Balkan Bulgarian used to be a well regarded European carrier; Bulgaria Air is a criminal money laundering scheme.

[@theself-helpconnection3731]

Предател, не те ли е срам да хулиш това и там от където си излезнал и бил заченат!

[@anonymouse8565]

Balkan Bulgarian or Balkan Holidays was a very pleasant airline. Many were dejected the day it closed. Every where in the world, scams like this are happening. Political goons get in position promising good times and take people for every cent they have and destroy their culture and values in the process.

[@janettecutter9936]

Next Sam Shui upload: Bulgaria Air, 5* treatment on Eastern Europes only 5* Skytrax rated airline.

[@hansmeyer3900]

hahaha best comment yet

[@M_RM.]

I had to stop watching Sam's videos. He introduced me to my love of aviation video but he's videos are too fake and scripted. Lost that naturality

[@hdjfjd8]

@@M_RM. true

[@peterpain6625]

@@M_RM. Yeah pity. It's more like paid advetizing now rather then reviews... Bit like those bought reviews on amazon.

[@madanshrestha7440]

So true

[@DandyE44A]

Josh, even Bulgarians avoid flying with Bulgaria Air. Keep in mind that pilots and crew members who still work for this air carrier means that they are too bad to be hired by any serious company.

[@garrettyankton5411]

It’s like the fictitious airline from Jackie brown but worse

[@amandab8433]

I seriously laughed at your post. That information is seriously frightening.

[@tongobong1]

OMG Josh is so lucky to escape alive from that flight. I heard every week there is a plane crush in Eastern Europe because of lousy airliners like Bulgaria airline.

[@krzysztofes625]

@@tongobong1 you are Talking shit as fuck man .Europe isnt african Airlines man

[@comicallyunfunny4]

@@tongobong1 Nah bro, I mean yes our airlines are shit, but plane crash every week? I don't know where you heard that lol

[@frankiemadrid7513]

As a flight attendant here yes the crew should be at boarding positions but we don’t get paid for boarding. We only get paid when brakes released to wheels parked. You said that’s what we get paid for but just so u know we are not paid

[@rb8607]

That means you have not read your contract booklets before you signed.. by chance any one of them still with you just read them word to word. Please let me know which crew you are working.. in case by chance i like to avoid it.. i dont want get stuck in aircraft in emergency flight attendant shouting i am not paid for it just find your way out..

[@lebell4435]

Pilots aren’t paid until the plane starts rolling, but they have to do all the flight check outside and in!

[@endi4654]

​@@scottberenyi2985 That's The reality. We have basic pay, but for hourly rate salary, the only start calculation from the point of chocks off. Was from a premium carrier in Southeast Asia, they always warn us to not help passengers with luggage onto overhead compartments because if we get ourselves injured, it will not be covered.

[@georgi6722]

Last time i traveled with Bulgaria air everything was normal, the plane was full, the flight attendants were polite and helpful . There were sandwiches and drinks served. The only negative thing was that there was a 1 hour delay of the flight.

[@johndereck304]

The last time you flew ON Bulgaria Air, not with.

[@Budmetro]

I loved how you said Bulgaria Air doesn’t give a shit right in the toilet. 😂

[@ashokkarathiya9549]

🤣🤣fuck'it

[@bradw3800]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@dwaynepilolo7880]

The irony 😂

[@yappering]

This airline sounds like a complete pleasure. No annoying staff telling you what to do. No annoying announcements. You literally got on the bus and got to your destination.

[@historyhooligan2893]

That’s an interesting viewpoint 😂. The airline for introverts

[@tabuti23]

😂😂

[@ericcasscass8843]

I agree they sound like a hassle free airline I would love to fly with them I as always bring my own snacks and beverages it’s no one else responsibility to feed me I just need them to fly me from point a to b.

[@oriol108]

@@ericcasscass8843 how do you bring with you beverages, they aren't allowed, only very tiny bottles

[@baam25th31]

@@oriol108 probably just does domestic flights in countries that don't care about that. I know some domestic airlines don't care what you do 😂.

[@nikolaynikolov2043]

Terrifying even though I’m Bulgarian. You must inform the EASA about this! Btw I asked Bulgaria air why their planes are mostly white and they told me that they’re in process of painting them, but it doesn’t seem like this! And the plane your have flown on have been flying almost since it’s birth for Bg air which is more unacceptable. I haven’t even imagined how bad they have gone. Truly share your opinion. It’s unacceptable!

[@dotdotdotstop195]

I'm also Bulgarian and they just don't have enough money They keep wasting it on lottery winners

[@Kagur_a]

what’s wrong with the colour

[@CAPTAINDOJO]

@@Kagur_a it’s a bad sign for a plane and company for not having a livery. It makes the company looks cheap and not safe to fly with.

[@carstekoch]

@@CAPTAINDOJO To be fair, there are reasons why you wouldn't foil/paint the airplanes like often leasing it for short time periods, but generally that's correct.

[@pifandrei5743]

This is how all companies fly, including wizz and blue. This guy is just a cheap f**** that wants champagne and caviar, for his 20€ ticket🤣. If i would had been in the company, i would had banned him with flying with bulgaria airlines, and let him take the bus..😃

[@lefterispatsouras8981]

the last time(december 2021) i flew with Bulgaria air was normal,the flight was normal, the plain was full, professional personal and food was served.The only con is that the plane was a bit old.

[@petarpetrov4418]

I have experience with Bulgaria air as well as other companies. The pilots of Bulgaria air always land perfectly unlike any other company.

[@sammiebanana]

Guarding the doors on the ground is also necessary in case of passengers opening the doors (on purpose or accidentally). As the doors will usually be in 'MANUAL' mode, no slide will inflate upon opening, the passenger will be pulled out of the aircraft if they didn't let go of the handle. A fall from that height is fatal.

[@OscarScheepstra_Artemis_]

Well, in theory if the door swings open with the passenger holding the handle, it is better for them not to let go, or they will fall :B

[@arbjful]

Yes it happens, especially when the passenger needs ventilation

[@highflyerjon3057]

That is totally incorrect, doors only open automatically when armed. And he was talking about the overwing exits

[@PBMS123]

Not all doors will be in Manual mode.

[@EUROPAONTOP]

its almost impossible to open manualy (by hand ) because the pressure on the inside of the plane is much higher than the outside. Basically, the door is sealed against the aircraft frame.

[@bradw3800]

Josh, you have no idea how much I appreciate your videos. Informative, frank, honest and at the same time entertaining. It's a breath of fresh air compared to some of the other reviewers whose only hope is to get into an Airline's good books and perhaps score whatever it is they're looking for. You are a true "blogalist". Yip, that's an unbiased blogger-journalist. Thanks for these eye-opening videos and for speaking the truth!

[@JoshCahill]

Much appreciated Brad!

[@historyhooligan2893]

Cabin crew here and I totally agree that the FAs should all be taking an active part in the boarding process… even if you’re busy setting the galley up or chit-chatting, you should still remain aware of what’s going on in the cabin, it becomes like second nature once you’ve done it long enough

[@oriol108]

Galley ? What galley ? maybe their own meal and pilots meal ? They don't serve anything onboard, just a tiny bottle of water at the door

[@mattleslie4274]

i agree with you here, cabin crew should always be aware but i dont believe this there was no cabin crew then their was 1 oh wait there was 4. cabin crew myself

[@corinakoster3432]

I dont know. I have flown with Bulgaria Air before and haven't had any issues with them. They offered us food and drinks, the crew was nice and helpful and did everything they were supposed to do. I guess it just depends on the plane and crew you get 🤷‍♀️

[@katesmith8897]

As a flight attendant in America things are way different here. A new plane is painted then delivered to the airline. Airlines don't pay crew for boarding. In America we are supposed to be in our boarding positions, unless it's a single FA A/C or you're working first class. We may chat in the galley if we're done boarding and waiting for the final paperwork. Everyone has to do the safety demo here. Not briefing the exit row is a huge violation in America, legally you have to brief the exit row before the main cabin door can be closed. Sometimes gate agents will put someone who is not allowed to sit in the exit row, in the exit row. (Usually a pax who needs a seatbelt extender or someone who doesn’t speak English). In America if you don't brief the exit row, that will cost you your job, you'll lose your license, the FAA will fine you. I've never seen it happen here but that's what I'm assuming would happen here. Also during the exit row briefing we don't explain how to open the door. We ask them if they're aware they're in an exit row and if they're willing and able to assist. We must recieve a verbal yes from the passenger for the second question. We only explain how to open the door in an emergency if we have a planned emergency and will move pax around as needed. Usually someone will always be in the back. When I was at regional and working on CRJs and working the aft, sometimes I would be upfront in the galley with my flying partner. However we'd always check on the pax every 15 minutes or so. Unfortunately it would be nearly impossible to sanitize the lavatory every time someone used it, people will go one after the other sometimes, especially on wide body A/C.

[@Tirana44]

Throughout the 1980s, I was employed as flight dispatcher, our company looked after six flights per week operated by Balkan Bulgarian Airlines. They used a mixture of Tu154, Tu 134, occasionally an Il18. We also took care of Balkans freight charters operated by An12. The flight deck and cabin crews were very polite and professional. I flew with them many times for holidays in Sofia and Varna. Sadly, following 1989, the number of Balkan Bulgarian flights we handled decreased dramatically, then ceased altogether. An outfit called Hemus Air took over the flights for a while, but eventually they too ceased operating our flights. Based on this video, I think that the Balkan crews from back then, would be ashamed and embarrassed by this Bulgaria Air outfit.

[@philosopherchezmi8986]

I've flown on Balkan airlines back in the day. It was a fantastic flight on a 767 - New York to Sofia

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

@@philosopherchezmi8986 this should ve been long ago

[@zenarcade64]

I flew them in the '90s when they mostly switched to Boeings. They were a good airline then.

[@metalgearsolidsnake6978]

Spiderman no way home< you feel fresh after a 9 hours flight, i feel tired after 1 hour flight.. weird...

[@monicacarolina6480]

especially since they got billions of the EU to improve infrastructure (roads, trains, planes) Wonder where that money went...oh wait. I lived in Serbia for 5 years and visited Bulgaria 3 times. Just as corrupt as Albania...way worse than Serbia and Croatia. That says something.

[@toddjohnson5692]

I had a similar? flight but it was about 40 years ago. We were flying from Salt Lake City to Seattle on Western (no longer exists). It was a 727 and there were three of us together and one other person on the flight. Smoking was allowed back then and the other person smoked so he was sitting at the extreme rear and we were in the first row since they did have a rule to maximize the distance between smoking/non-smoking. The one flight attendant (who looked very tired) came over to us, asked how many cans of soda we wanted and gave us each 2 and then gave us a whole box full of bagged peanuts. After that she went to sleep on her jump seat. She was still asleep when we landed and the pilot didn't want to wake her up so he opened the door and let us out. Lower expectations/requirements back then maybe :)

[@jdavies212msu]

Oh the memory you just evoked! I flew Western Airlines from Seattle to San Francisco about 50 hears ago. I was wearing a new, dark green business suit. I sat directly on someone’s Brussels sprouts that had been spilled on the seat from the last flight. The color matched my suit, but the smell and squishiness were an unwelcome addition to my attire. For that one disgusting incident alone, I was glad when they went out of business. 🥸

[@tonylong147]

At about the time you’re talking about, I flew United, between San Francisco and Columbus Ohio, early one morning, in a L-1011 as I remember. I flew 1st Class, which in those days was like Economy with greater seat spacing and free booze. There was one other passenger in first class, an elderly gent some rows in front of me. At about 8h30, a hostess stuck her head through the curtain and had a look at us. Dismissing the elderly gent, she said to me ‘You look like a drinkin’ man Sir.’ and dumped two bottles of sparkling wine in my lap. My business meetings later in the day in Columbus, went on in a certain haze.

[@steve3ri]

I have two comments....firstly, I would question why KLM would code share with this airline. Secondly, I would question why the EU permits this airline to fly within Europe. Screw the catering.....they completely ignore safety. Josh, glad you arrived safely.

[@martinicc67]

Corruption

[@TheFranzzzNL]

I know several years ago some Asian budget airlines got banned from EU airspace over safety regulations... If this carrier can happily operate with this bad safety policy... How bad where the Asian counterparts? I mean what's the threshold?

[@OMP25]

Money money

[@Cokesfabriek]

But u know the Netherlands is not big so if the don’t let Schiphol get Bulgaria air on ship OR there is war

[@carstekoch]

@@Cokesfabriek yeah no. If Bulgaria were to declare war on another EU Member for that, it would be kicked from the Union and immediately be at war with the rest of Europe. It wouldn't end well and simply isn't worth the trouble.

[@cursedchild3639]

The reason why I love watching this guy is because his honest and calls it the way it is

[@waynejfoster9860]

I think your loo review was so spot on. Supermarket chains, airlines & more are still using the pandemic as an excuse. It has to stop

[@josephhart7933]

That's one of the harshest reviews I've seen you do. But the truth is the truth.

[@nemowei5553]

You are lucky. I was flying from FRA to Varna 20 years ago on a Tupolev. The flight attendant was totally drunk, couldn't walk straight, seats are broken. When we were starting an empty bottle was rolling from the cockpit to the end of the the airplane. I was so shocked. Flight back was not better. They changed first 2 tyres on the Tupolev before we could start.

[@Techie1224]

i think the 2 tyres cost them too much :D

[@aeronmics]

Authentic Balkan experience

[@irenedavo3768]

Drunk

[@spaniardsrmoors6817]

@@aeronmics Slavs lololol

[@jjr1728]

Being drunk is allowed for pilots and fa's. It's a perk of the job

[@theportuguesesteward8493]

Hey Cahill, I’m a cabin crew member. So, in regards to boarding without any crew member present in cabin I say it is allowed (some countries may not allowed it but as far as EASA rules, it is allowed).However, if the aircraft is being refuelled, then indeed there must be at least one crew member present at the emergency exists should there be the need to evacuate the aircraft. As for the rest: safety demo done only by one, and lack of briefing at the overwinter exists, lack of at least one cabin crew member present in the galley during cruise, I must say: IT’S A BIG NO GO!! Big fan of yours and love watching your videos! Best regards from Belgium!

[@euroair7578]

Exactly! There is only a requirement for a crew member to be in the vicinity of *floor level* exits. Overwing exits do not need a crew member present during boarding...

[@lexus5011]

100% right, im a purser with a european state airline with 22 yrs experience . During boarding, due to the pandemic, we re allowed not to stay in the middle of the aircraft but for the rest , they are a big no no. Most probably the crew and the back were some bullies. Happens but the purser should have addressed this problem .

[@kikiTHEalien]

I wonder why this comment is not pinned instead of the one claiming that locals do not use the services of this airline because it is owned by Bulgarian mafia (it isn't and locals do not fly Bulgaria Air, because any non-budget airline is too expensive for our standard of living)...

[@materiagrezza9331]

I once flew a Bulgaria Air Charter (different company, same bullcrap) MD-82 from Prague to Palermo. It was a last minute charter from our school because CSA (the national Czech airline, which is awesome BTW) had cancelled several flights due to poor weather. I boarded the 1993-built, former Alitalia aircraft, and I was shocked on how unorganized everything was. Every sign was in Bulgarian, all the crew spoke nothing but strict Bulgarian, the seat I was assigned was dirty and they refused to change it. Only one crew member did the safety routine in a poor attempt at speaking Italian and English, twice, at the front and back or the plane. No food or water throughout the 2 hour flight, and don't get me started about the pilots flying. It was 2012, the second ever flight in my life and the worst one ever. And I'm a Ryanair regular.

[@arnevandemaele7445]

Boarding positions have changed since COVID started, the airline I worked for asked us to remain in the galley until everyone was seated and brief the passengers afterwards before the safety demonstration

[@LazyGamerScotland]

It totally depends on the crew with them. I flew back from sunny beach with them back in 2019, flight was pretty empty only about 4 passengers and the crew were amazing, go us into our allocated seats for take off, once we reached cruising alt we got offered to just lay down on seats anywhere on the flight, said they would wake us up before landing and during the service incase anyone wanted anything to eat/drink. Couldn’t really fault them. But your experience looked really bad.

[@arbjful]

You can do that on pretty much any airline, not just the bad ones. The flight crew know there are few passengers to bother, so they quickly serve up food and close the galley, leaving the passengers to occupy any seats or lie in them

[@Fiberglass_Insulation]

You sure you didn't get on the wrong flight?

[@Ayrshore]

You're mixing up Bulgaria Air and Balkan Holidays Air surely? They're not the same company.

[@LazyGamerScotland]

@@Ayrshore it was a Bulgaria air charter flight on the return journey :)

[@Ayrshore]

@@LazyGamerScotland Wow. Fair enough. BH Air once gave me tickets with Garuda Indonesia from Glasgow to Varna - but it ended up being a Balkan Tu154, with wire sticking out of the tyres and visible cracking on the wing fences.

[@charles2109]

Keeping it real, nice job as always Josh. I think it’s safe to say low morale plays a huge role in crews not caring about doing their jobs. There’s always a bigger issue behind the scenes that we don’t see but you’re right, this airline failed to live up to even basic standards, especially when it comes to safety.

[@Lakesider52]

The cabin crew will claim they are "professional" and so they should be. However, allowing "low morale" to result in crew not caring about doing their jobs (your words) is 100% UNPROFESSIONAL. This excuse does not hold any validity.

[@peterpain6625]

@@Lakesider52 I get "low morale". I get not being at your normal friendlyness level. What i don't get is breaking safety rules and regulations because of it. Josh is right with his rant. The "no catering" is annoying (a packed sandwich/crackers/breadroll would be cents for them to provide). The "no safety" is dangerous.

[@hgr2613]

Well done Josh for saying it as it is. This airline is a Health & Safety nightmare. Another excellent honest report.

[@labman20]

I flew to Bulgaria in the very late 80’s, maybe 88 or 89 with my best mate’s family on a skiing trip. We flew with Balkan airlines in an old Tupolev, maybe a 154. I just remember boarding and my mate’s dad trying to put his seat belt on and he pulled it clean away from the seat. When he called the stewardess, she didn’t seem overly worried and directed him to the rear of the aircraft where there might be a free seat with working belts lol. Then just before push back the left engine suddenly died, and after much arm waving by ground crew a large truck with what looked like massive jump leads where attached the engine and it sprang back into life. However, it wasn’t all bad, when the drinks trolley came round we saw some beers and cheekily asked if we could have one (we were 14 or 15 at the time) and the stewardess said yes, no problem. So, two cans of beers were placed on our tray, awesome. Best flight ever lol.

[@miroslavchapkanov936]

Най добрите пилоти! Най добрия полет от BULGARIA AIR! 🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬👍❤️❤️🇪🇺🇪🇺

[@yaboiarmanvids7057]

that was the most agressive lu review ever!! felt like a student when a teacher is yelling XD.

[@hansmeyer3900]

Thanks for keeping it real and pointing out airlines that jeopardise everyones safety! As a Cabin Crew myself I can only agree with your comments and those of my colleagues. Gross Violation! If that would happen on my airline we would be in big troubles.

[@mattleslie4274]

you are clearly not cabin crew? dont you see the flaws in this video

[@kimrobb1965]

@@mattleslie4274 did you not read his comment before commenting

[@b_r_a_n]

@@mattleslie4274 did you read their comment with your eyes closed?

[@phedrob3735]

This makes me wonder what other safety measures are being ignored. Surely this airline should be reported to the appropriate authority.

[@yankees29]

How about all of them? Lmao they don’t care about safety in Eastern Europe. 😂

[@ogbkballa]

I would imagine they do at least the minimium because EU regulations are really strict

[@graciie77]

A few months ago I traveled with Bulgaria Air to and from Amsterdam. The crew members were there all the time since the begging and directed passengers. Food, dessert and bevarages were served. Drinks you could get all the time. So idk why it's like this for you.

[@jakubb2132]

you said there was no crew present when boarding. who did you say hello to when you entered the plane then??

[@omarhamid3638]

Undiluted honesty!! So glad to have this and Josh giving us his real thoughts and experiences. Flying is always seen as glamorous and shown as such but when it goes wrong it’s a total disaster that can cost lives and at the least cause huge headaches for the customer. On a trivial note, amidst all that chaos, the flickering light overhead bugged me beyond belief! Not sure if it stopped that later on but that alone would have irritated me and made me vow never to return aboard them again.

[@vassildimitrov6981]

Hi guy ! First of all LZ-FBC is not with Bulgaria Air since 2018, the reason why the aircraft is all white livery is not because of money or economic reasons, is because it was the last flight for the aircraft at Bulgaria Air, and before delivery it back the remove the logo, as you can see in internet Bulgaria Air is renewing the fleet with 4 brand new A320 with winglets and in the near future with A220. Regards.

[@sebastianbaxter3761]

I flew this plane in July 2020 and Josh says he flew it in August 2021. So, I'd say it is probably still in service.

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

@@sebastianbaxter3761 it is

[@hendrikdevries9725]

Yes Bulgaria Air, a justified rant, thank you Josh. Patrons like me support Josh to hear the brutal truth about Airlines, especially National Flag Carriers, who flog safety rules and offer shit excuses not to provide a basic in-flight service. Rant supported! Happy & especially safe travels JC !

[@rexlevitak1]

I have flown with Bulgaria Air maybe half a dozen times and it has always been great . Good service , acceptable planes , good food but I am not surprised at your experience . In Bulgaria and if we are honest in a big chunk of Eastern Europe some people don’t really have much in the way of discipline and work ethic and if they have an excuse and think they can get away with it they will absolutely use to to slack off . And there is no greater excuse then the pandemic . Why put any effort when the airport and the flights are half empty anyway So when things get back to normal I advise you try it again . You would be amazed at the difference

[@a_numbers_girl7025]

I have never been on a two hour flight within the US where there was a food service. Sadly US carriers lack on service

[@JoloNavarro]

A really justified rant, love your unbiased reviews on airlines as always Josh!

[@TheErnestPL]

I'm flight attendant and it's very hard for me to believe in what I saw in this video. Take care

[@danielintheantipodes6741]

I have never been on a flight with a crew member who showed so little interest in the work, especially safety issues. This video is so shocking. If I have learnt anything from watching KZbin airline videos, I have learnt to be cautious about the airlines I fly on. Sometimes the train is better! Thank you for the video.

[@b_r_a_n]

it's quite scary isn't it that they can be so dismissive!!

[@jamesrindley6215]

Flying used to feel like a special experience, walking on board and being greeted by a perfectly turned out flight attendant and offered a newspaper. Now it's like boarding a cruddy old bus mostly.

[@femaleforester]

So true. a smelly bus where you sit cramped without food and drink 🤣

[@radostinaborissova235]

I’ve been flying with Bulgaria Air for over 6 years now and I have never had any issues. There were always 3+ flying attendants and everyone was always super nice. The safety instructions were always done by either 2 or 3 flying attendants depending on the size of the plane. And unlike other airlines like the Austrian for example, you always get food and drinks on the plane (of course the pandemic was an exception, but you at least got water). I was so used to this service, but when I got on Austrian Airlines (2 years before the pandemic) they gave us a small pack of crackers (not even enough for a small child) and no water. Many things were done differently during the pandemic for obvious reasons so maybe next time try to fly with them when the situation is normal. And no one can tell me that Bulgarians don’t fly with Bulgaria Air when there wasn’t a single time when the plane wasn’t full when I was on it (except during the pandemic).

[@ceci131]

I am not surprised by the terrible experience you've had Josh. As a local of Sofia, I never happened to fly Bulgaria Air but I heard tons of terrible stories of people flying with them. They often have delayed or canceled flights, and whenever they do fly on time you get this. The management of the company is horrible which is why the crews don't really care to follow the basic standards that all other airlines do. And to add to all that they charge close to Lufthansa prices or even more! It's a real embarrassment and I always prefer to fly low-cost airlines (because they also have the most diverse routes out of Sofia) or any foreign airline and I have always had positive experiences so far. In all of that, I would still love to give them a go but I am sure I would experience more of the same. The only reason I would end up with them is flying to Amsterdam /Paris/Madrid etc. connecting to a long-haul flight but to be honest I would probably even pay the extra to get Lufthansa to Frankfurt or Munich or any other large airline that flies to Sofia.

[@monicacarolina6480]

what did they do with the billions of the EU to improve connections with planes and roads to other EU countries? We in Holland pay 5000 euro's every year to the EU per person. Most of the money is going to your country, Slovakia, Romania, POland...it's a disgrace

[@brooklynsbaby4367]

@@monicacarolina6480 why are you acting like it's op's fault lmao

[@onigutza]

Wow, at the beginning I thought you’re exaggerating but then I realized what a mess that flight was. It looks like they did a turnaround and they didn’t feel like being there at all and waited for the whole flight to be over ASAP. When I used to fly for Qatar Airways and I was operating in economy, we literally had to welcome all the passengers onboard and take them to their seats and assist them with their luggages. We couldn’t just disappear in the galley for the whole boarding. I mean I know I can’t compare the two airlines but because that’s all I know, it surprises me how easy a lot of cabin crew have it 😅

[@jeffb1214]

Well said Josh. This is the kind of airline that gives the air travel industry a bad name. They need to be named and shamed.

[@DanutPaul]

I've flown Air Dolomiti (for Lufthansa) at the end of November 2021 and they also only offered a bottle of water.

[@emielvandenhoek4295]

I love 🇧🇬 Bulgaria. One of the most beautiful countries in the world with mountains, black see, beautiful medevial cities and friendly people. Please go to this little paradise... if you can with Bulgaria Airlines. No problem!

[@flightsimulationtraveller]

As a Bulgarian who left the country because of "the transformation from post-communist society, economy etc to "free market" was happening with the pace of a snail" .... I decided to leave and as a result spent almost 2 decades Downunder. Recently moved back to Bulgaria for number of reasons. For one who deeply cares for this country too, I found that things have gotten even worse since I left. Glimpses of hopes here and there.. but yeah, in general the situation is desperate, hopless. Fastest shrinking nation in the world. Yet I still want to believe that the general population keeps lots of wisdom and things will take a turn. On the other hand it's true that we are often being portraid in negative ways. For a person who travelled, lived and worked in Asia, Australia and off-shore, I can say, we are not better/nor worse than any other.

[@mark123655]

While I agree with some of the safety comments. They had crew at the front door (where you got water) and at the rear. Just not in the middle. And I don't think they were making money on that flight. With that load factor they were probably losing $100+k. Now a real cheap airline would have canceled your flight four times in a row, just so they had a sufficient load factor. Without checking reviews I wouldn't necessarily be expecting a meal and not being a member of any alliance if be starting with Ryan Air expectations.

[@godisacorgi9835]

I totally agree with you. I think that video was kind of a rant. First of all where in Europe do they serve you anything on short haul? If he wants free drinks and snacks he might consider moving to the US where they are "a law" on every flight. Honestly I never got even a cup of water on Wizz and Ryanair. Not to mention they don't hand out sanitizers and tissues as well now. And last time i flew Ryanair the toilet got flooded and you couldn't wash your hands, didn't see that in the video. Also for the cancellation thing, my 3-week-long Christmas trip for 2020 turned out to be 3 months because of the lovely and well organized Ryanair and KLM that cancelled my returns 4 times while Bulgaria air kept operations without a slight disruption, probably making zero profit as well due to the low demands. And I've been on several regional jet flights with United Airlines where they only had 1 flight attendant, I don't know how that is compromising safety but they cannot be at the front, back and middle if they are only 1 person while boarding, kinda impossible.

[@RolandBizjets]

Okay, if I was a CEO and my airline was about to go bust, I would use this excuse and choose not to serve food. But regardless, safety should be taken very seriously.

[@alonb4902]

Josh as always- thank you for the direct honesty

[@tommyp1976]

This is happening always with Ryanair out from ARN. The crew is always sitting at the aft galley and eating their own meals and no service.

[@sarahfrith1984]

I adore complete honesty, very refreshing to see these days!!

[@briannash1982]

Hi Josh, absolutely love your reviews, keep up the good work. I have flown with Bulgaria Air quite a few times mostly between LHR/SOF/LHR and SOF/VAR/SOF, but I must admit I haven't flown with them since 2017 after we sold our house there. I have always found them to be professional and the standard of the aircraft to be good, neat and tidy. As far as I can recall the food situation was never exceptional.

[@civagiarn]

They used to be really good right? I don't know what happened

[@KikiTheHobbit]

i flew with them in 2021 and never noticed the problems until i saw this video!!! shows how little i used to know ab aviation💀

[@cyrilblakeyblake8807]

My wife and I live in Varna, we travel three to four return trips to Sofia each year on Bulgaria Air. This is since 2021. So far all flights have been okay, with safety observed. The catering, we've experienced, has always been a tablet of chocolate and free soft drinks, tea and coffee. The aircraft used are Embraer 190, Airbus A320 and recently a 320 Neo. I notice too, very recently, they've started operating Airbus A220s. I can't say flying Bulgaria Air is anything special, but it avoids an 8 hour land journey between Varna and Sofia.

[@Bobrogers99]

Over 30 years ago I flew from Boston to Amsterdam on KLM. Before we boarded, a catering truck bumped the plane and an emergency slide deployed, and they had to fly a technician from NYC to fix it. We sat on the plane for over FOUR HOURS before we could take off. When I went to the galley to ask for water I was told curtly to sit down! As soon as we were airborne the crew immediately handed out the dinners and then disappeared. All the dinner trash ended up on the floor and in the aisles. No one responded to the call buttons. Eventually some passengers pillaged the galley for snacks and drinks, stripping it bare. When we landed, the pilots looked stunned at the wreckage! I shudder to think what might have happened if we had an emergency.

[@Bobrogers99]

@ThinkIndigo On the return flight we had a delightful English crew, and they were horrified at our experience. I still have the two bottles of champagne that they gave me as we left the plane.

[@teazerfemi]

I am so shocked by the Bulgarian crew's attitude towards their job, because that's not what they trained me when they came to Nigeria.

[@commonsense571]

I am so weirdly obsessed with your channel. I never travel because I’m broke and have family to spend my money on 🌷 But I love living vicariously through you. Hope some travel days are ahead of me and I’ll be glad to have all this information thank you. It’s so interesting!!

[@PBMS123]

Yes the only official job of cabin crew is Safety of passengers. Some airlines provide food, and entertainment, and crew will make your flight comfortable, but they're primary job is, safety of all people on board.

[@Tevfik5586]

Some of your audio plays only on the left side for example 1:49, 2:11, etc except for the voice-over and plane take-off part. The previous videos also like that. Maybe you can check and fix it for the next review.

[@lubsisaco]

Imagine Bukgaria Air CEO seeing this

[@erikwoods821]

He wouldn't give a shit! If he did the airline wouldn't be so appalling to begin with.

[@JoshCahill]

Agreed!

[@jorgediogo1764]

@@JoshCahill let´s hope that the European aviation authorities see this, it might get bad for their side.

[@two_number_nines]

Trust me negative infinity is an understatement to the level of fucks given by whoever runs the company. Literally everything in this country is a short term scam scheme to pay for the lease of a 740i/x6m 50d/s500 amg/gls 63 agm/q5 e-tron with a complete disregard for society.

[@Rosendrache]

He probably doesn't speak English at all...

[@samskinner7856]

Terrifying! But also I was cheering for your very forthright comments Josh. Tell them what you really think! Don't hold back :)

[@mattleslie4274]

so its gone from no crew members to 1 then to 4, the a320 carries 4 cabin crew, im not sure i believe this report as a crew member myself in the uk

[@tiagomandecg3218]

Just to comment about US airline requirements, all exits do not need to be manned when boarding. Only open exits. However, the cabin crew need to be evenly distributed throughout the cabin… but they can be in the galley, aisle, etc.

[@tiagomandecg3218]

There is no regulation that an FA be at each door pair.

[@wanderinstar1]

Agree - to my knowledge there is no regulation stating exits have to be manned whilst boarding.

[@mekail9075]

Flight attendant here, yes I agree they should be overlooking the boarding process but when you said (that’s what they’re getting paid for) annoyed me a bit because we don’t get paid for boarding, all the smiles, warm welcomes, helping with bags and stuff we do while the boarding door is open is out of generosity, we start getting paid when the door is closed and the breaks are pulled. And not everywhere follows the FAA guidelines in Europe the have completely different rules though I hope the safety rules would be the same

[@JoshCahill]

Thats wrong. You are paid also on the ground, thats why you receive a basic salary on top of the flight hours you are getting paid for...at least in 98% of the airlines it is the case.

[@mekail9075]

No I’m not wrong🙂, I or most of us don’t receive a basic salary on top on the flight hrs. It’s a salary based job and we don’t start getting our flight hourly rate until we’ve flown more than 70/80hrs (depends on the airline) and the flight rate kicks in once the boarding door is closed and the breaks are pulled so everything we fly under 70-80hrs goes towards our monthly guarantee. If you’re talking about the dollar/2 that most of us get paid while we’re away from base, no one classifies that as getting paid for boarding/while on the ground.

[@monicacarolina6480]

What??? Can you tell me for which airlin you work...I will never fly with it. Your job starts at the moment the first passenger arives in the plane. This is insane. Nice attitude sir. Please do not smile for money, I smile because I really love my job and to pamper peopl Shame on you.

[@kimjong-un9535]

Josh, u and @TrekTrendy are two of the best flight reviewers of all time. No one likes Sam Chui's adverts.

[@ER-bl4ws]

Lol

[@speen9430]

wow theres the supreme leader and a 777-300ER and a spinosaurs in the same comment section how lucky

[@simonjl9833]

Are you seriously lol

[@Canleaf08]

Sam Chui's videos should be marked as advertisements. Product placements.

[@oidgiasinger]

I flew with them from Varna to Sofia at the end of May. It was exactly like that. A not really motivated crew who didn't even show up once during the flight.

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

Typical Bulgarian

[@jassenjj]

And you suffered through every of the 31 minutes of flight?

[@ElinoCanuck]

I’m here for Josh’s rants. I wasn’t disappointed with this review! Keep up the good work Josh!

[@Lul81028]

I've flown with Balkan air several times from my local airport in the UK who operate package holidays from here to sunny beach. Never had a problem with them.

[@GeryNH]

As Bulgarian, I support everything you said! Please contnue, companies like that don't care about what locals think. But once it gets international, they feel a bit guilty.... fingers crossed...

[@ANNSHEARD]

Notice when you got off the plane the guy had his hands in his pockets!!!! How disrespectful❤️

[@irandomlyshare]

I was shocked! Josh, thanks for being true to your craft. Stay safe.

[@mr.chronograph9022]

Lots of empty seats and no bossy attendants? Where do I get tickets?

[@Eikenhorst]

Flew with Georgian Airlines from Amsterdam to Tbilisi and back the end of August, and same thing, no service during the whole 5 hour flight. Bulgaria is only 3 hours flight, so it could be far worse. They didn't announce it though, they just didn't serve anything (nope, no bottle of water either in case you wonder!)

[@xhplais]

4 years ago, I flew them from Sofia to Berlin. I remember the unpleasant smell in the cabin, the broken armrest on my seat and the minimal legroom. However, they did serve snacks and drinks during the flight but no hot meal.

[@tfsvids4117]

Terrible

[@jusalii]

There just a disappointment that’s it

[@xhplais]

@@jusalii not really. They took me to Berlin in time and for a small amount of money. I didn’t expect much and I didn’t get much more than a simple transport in an uncomfortable seat.

[@kuriankeralaIndia]

@@xhplais Bruh even indigo airline give more choice even tho its low cost airline .

[@dominiqitta]

Josh, This is the reason why i can watch your vlogs over and over, again and again. Bold thoughts, Straight foward truth and honesty, you say it as it is, infact its best uncensored. It tells how disgusting some airlines can be. This is why airlines need to listen to your advisory. well done man.

[@lisajel52]

As always brutally honest! Thank you for doing what you do!

[@BryanTheeStallion]

As a former flight attendant yes the cabin crew sopoose to be in their boarding position it's in their Flight Attendant Manuel if they were getting a check ride they would be called to management office for possible disciplinary action and hope they have a union rep when they go in that office Former Flight Attendant Here

[@cpierce803]

I’m watching this video within 24 hours of the successful 100% evacuation of the JAL A350 at Haneda. Yes, you are spot on pointing out safety lapses by the cabin crew. Please keep it up!

[@luismiguelkilayko5630]

Thank you for keeping it real, honest, unbiased and fearless, Josh! We are here for you all the way!

[@mdduet]

I can’t wait for a statement from you on how you truly feeling about this airline. Brutal but honest.

[@velocity7786]

Honest? This is just some americans talking shit about everthing that isnt american

[@SuperBigblue19]

A Flag Carrier with plain white wrapper airplanes? There motto is Fly Good, Feel Safe! They lost 1.8 million euros in 2018 before the pandemic. So getting that bottle of water & making it to your destination was probably a plus.

[@768lbman]

"no crew, no safety" literally says someone from the crew did a safety presentation.

[@brentsummers7377]

Yes, every A320 or B737 flight I have been on there will be a crew member standing a few rows up from the rear exits. On a positive note the take-off flaps had been set by 4:06!

[@simongray8019]

Wow, as a former cabin crew member this is frightening, not only unsafe but really shoddy to. I'm with you Josh, give this bunch of cowboys a really wide birth if you need to travel to Bulgaria

[@MrSparrenius]

I have sadly flown them several times (not out of choice but for work) and its always like this. Once I had the entire crew sitting in the unused "business class" seats for the duration of the flight, with the curtain CLOSED - all passengers had to use the rear toilets so not to disturb their chats... I have also flown in a 30+ year old 737-300 (LZ-BOU) from Bulgaria Air in 2019 but you cant find anything about on this plane on their fleet stats and it was also all white... honestly, one of the most scared I had been to fly and I am never, ever scared of flying. Glad you survived ;) BUT Bulgaria is a beautiful country that is just let down by years of corrupt mafia men running money laundering business...

[@gatewayz75]

I agree. Qantas offers a single Lindt ball on the tray as dessert on a 3 hour domestic A330 business class flight and no pre departure beverage “ due to Covid” but still charged $699 each way which was a sale fare down from the usual $900+ each way domestic business

[@yo_eddie2576]

I haven't flown Qantas since I was a child. Just not worth the money they charge.

[@garymcguire8529]

If there was no crew on board, so why didn't you sit in the pilot seat? I once flew on Zambian Airways, the plane was so old I had to sit next to the rear gunner.

[@krauma]

After not using them for some years I gave them a try this month from Frankfurt to Sofia and back. I had quite mixed impressions. To Sofia, it was an over 30 year old 737-300 in a pretty battered condition and without any Bulgaria livery The crew was lovely to the passengers but did not really follow the safety regulations (in my opinion at least). For example the person next to me had his backpack out also while take off and landing, some window blind stayed down, no real walk through before landing,... On the way back I had their new Airbus A220 which is really a beautiful plane and even had in front something like a dedicated business class. Crew was professional but a little bit rude. At both flights there was even in economy a free sandwich, drinks and. chocolate which I think is quite good in Europe. So, there might be some positive changes although there is still quite some work needed. Anyway I was happy as it was my first time in the A220.

[@krauma]

Със сигурност не е най-хубавият град и определено не е добро летище. Но това е друга тема.😁​@@Anticommunism99

[@andrewalti7276]

Hi Josh, just for clarification: On an A320 the overwing exits don‘t need to be manned but it makes sence to be present during the boarding to ensure there is no hand laguagge on the floor for taxi, take off and landing. If the overwing exit would need to be manned there would be a jamp seat as on an A321. A special safety breefing is also not mandatory. It is very common to do one in the US and AUS but not so much in Europe. For example, LX is not doing one either. THX for your videos, I enjoy watching them.

[@marytreacy9232]

i don't agree that a safety briefing is not usual in Europe. I used to work for IATA and travelled widely during my career both with IATA and with other international NGOs and for pleasure also, plus to visit my family. I fly in Europe regularly and never once have i been on a flight that does not give this brief, usually in more than one language.

[@anjakellenjeter]

I don't think Josh meant that the overwing exits need to be manned - there isn't a crew seat there for a start. However, the passengers sat in those rows should be briefed on how to open the door and asked if they're capable of lifting the 35-40lbs it weighs, since you have to lift it to throw it out of the plane once you open it, otherwise it becomes a hazard that can block access to the exit. Not even checking that the people sat next to it are capable of opening the door is a serious safety breach. Also, the lack of safety briefing for passengers in the back is against op rules in Europe. Since there's no IFE, there should have been someone stood further towards the back of the plane during the emergency briefing that those seated towards the tail could see. The basic safety briefing is is mandatory on all flights - if it isn't being done, that's a breach of regulations too. I've never been on a flight where this wasn't done, regardless of the size of plane. On planes that had stopovers, it was done every time new passengers were taken aboard.

[@sashodxb]

It's definitely not a great airline and they don't claim to be.. I flew with them few times to London and Barcelona and the crew was excellent, aircrafts were in a good condition and generally I had a good experience. I can't say the same about more established and awarded airlines like Emirates for example. Business class Denpasar to Dubai was a disaster and the crew was hiding in the galleys, playing on their phones most of the time. Last few flights on Turkish and Singapore Airlines were similar...

[@nuucha]

I flew Bulgaria Air back in June/July 2020 and then we got the same bottle of water and announcement of not providing in-flight catering because of pandemic. I am really surprised it is still a thing 1.5 years later

[@Andre-hz8yx]

Your honesty is very much appreciated. Thank you

[@G1NZOU]

I completely agree with your statement that the cabin crew should be watching the boarding process. Cabin crew are there for airline safety procedure firstly and passenger amenities like galley services second. Air travel safety is so good nowadays that most incidents in the past few years seem to involve crew actively ignoring standard safety procedure.

[@vinaypanchal9970]

Something for which I love you josh .....no red carpet nothing go in like a normal pax and say what is true !

[@Vactiontogo]

Josh swearing is actually very entertaining

[@edwinfernandes5680]

Just imagine if he was flying on Ryanair.

[@308Karl]

@@edwinfernandes5680 Ryanair is far better!

[@velocity7786]

@@308Karlshut the fuck up, atleast I get to land safely

[@velocity7786]

@@308Karlshut the fuck up, atleast I land safely

[@velocity7786]

@@308Karlstfu, atleast I land safely

[@ranithubaranaduge9788]

*I recommend u to fly in Sri Lankan airlines once more, u wont face any trouble like Bulgari Air.*

[@ramsesii8420]

I flew two times with them in 2016 and both flights were fine, they even gave us free food for a two and a half hour flight.

[@michaelm4926]

thanks for your honest and useful reviews!!!! Great vids!