The Bulgarian cabinet has approved a bill to amend the Civil Aviation Act. It updates the rules on air traffic management to match EU requirements, the government press office said.

If the law is passed, airport ground handling firms will no longer need a licence. They will file a declaration instead, as EU law provides. A new set of rules will cover this work.

Under the bill, oversight of air navigation services will follow the rules of the Single European Sky. Airports and ground handling firms will have to meet minimum quality standards.

On aviation security, the bill provides for checks on staff and for security programmes for certain groups of people. It also reviews administrative fees and penalty rules, including the size of fines and financial penalties. Some provisions deal with the switch to the euro.

The press office said the aim is a more efficient and transparent set of rules that keeps safety, security and service quality high in civil aviation. As an EU member, Bulgaria must bring European requirements into its national law on time, and the bill is part of that.

EU institutions agreed in July on changes to the rules on air passenger rights, BTA said. Under the deal, hand luggage will be included in the ticket price by default. Children up to 14 will get a seat next to their parents at no extra charge.

Fixing spelling mistakes in names on a ticket will be free, and so will printed boarding passes. Passengers will still be able to claim €250 to €600 in compensation if a flight is delayed by at least 3 hours, or in some cases of cancellation.

Airlines will have to tell passengers about their rights in writing within 96 hours of the end of their trip. Passengers will have 9 months to file a claim.

The European rules are expected to come into force in mid-2027.