flights are getting very expensive over £600 for John and I last september Lilly and I are going in june and we re paying over £400. when we first started going in 1999 there were plenty of flights

Hi I am not interested in them giving me enough notice to book another trip that is not a way to run an airline People do not desert a good carrier. I have flown with them for the last 10 years so not sure on the logic of people sinking their ship. I do not know of another airline that books people on a flight and then cancels. As for Manchester that is not good either. I have flown with many carriers where the plane was not full and the answer is to be more competitive not mess your customers around as for price at over 500 pounds for 2 people to fly it is not exactly a steal so maybe if they provided a better service they would fill their planes. Dreadful company rude unhelpful staff

I do not know of another airline that books people on a flight and then cancels

Plenty of airlines book people on flights and then either consolidate/cancel flights or even worse try and bump them at the airport! Yes, most of us are lucky and it it doesn't happen to the majority of passengers but all of the airlines, whether scheduled or chartered, low cost or full service, are capable of it.

SM

Oh That is all right then let's just accept bad practice. I have flown around 6 times per year for the last 25 years and no other airline has ever done this. When you book a flight you enter into a contract. I could not just decide I had changed my mind and expect my money back but it seems they can. Amazing to me some people think this is OK

I wasn't saying it is OK Tinkatinka just that this sort of practice is not unique to Balkan. Search the various airline and TO threads here and you will find that there probably isn't a single one that hasn't done this to someone at some time. It seems to particularly affect people who book well in advance but not only them. It's what airlines do and their T&Cs say that this can happen so they are covered. Yes, it isn't good practice but it is a more common practice than you seemed to realise. And, yes, some of them deal with it better than others when it comes to offering alternative flights or compensation but they all reserve the right to cancel flights.

SM

Balkan holidays have done this to me 3 times. This time I have lost over £300 due to secondary flights being booked and suffered rude unhelpful staff who refused to compensate me so thank you for your comments but I reserve the right to think that Balkan are the WORST. This is not to mention airline staff who look like they are chewing a wasp, extra leg room seats which were paid for not being provided and expensive cramped flights. For anyone thinking of booking with them take my advice DON'T. Other airlines might occasionally have to cancel flights but Balkan use this as a normal model

You can book cheap flights (about £129 rtn) from Manchester to Varna in june/july (outside of school holidays).
Just got a return flight deal for aug 22nd - 5th september for £179 rtn (which is good for august).

just back and booked again? It must have been a great holiday

John and I have just booked again for January 13th flying into sofia for just over £300 , staying at thracian for 2days there and then down to varna [flying] and then back to sofia

Beware, Balkan Holidays have pulled their early flights from Gatwick to Varna as they did last year.
I did query with Balkan on Monday last as to why my flight (5th June) was not showing, had email back to say flights had been temporarily suspended. Yesterday (Friday) I got a letter via email to say flight cancelled, I could change to the Wizzair Flight from Luton (I live on the south coast) on either the 4th (Thurs) or 6th ( Sat). I will not put in print what I am aiming to do. hope you understand. Tonyt.

P.s. last year they cancelled on 8th April this year 27th Feb. stinks.

Thomas cook now fly from manchester, we used easy jet and bulgaria air, to travel in january, awful delays with flights to and from varna, we, used Ivan Tonys friend for transfer, its was lovely and warm on the coast and had a great time, already booked for november