SolitAir has launched scheduled cargo flights to Bulgaria’s Vasil Levski Sofia Airport (SOF), marking the Dubai-based carrier’s first destination within the European Union.

The new route connects the airline’s hub at Dubai World Central (DWC) with Sofia, providing a direct link between SolitAir’s network across the Middle East, Africa and Asia and the EU single market.

The launch follows the airline’s receipt of ACC3 (Air Cargo and Mail Carrier from a Third Country) certification from the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA), allowing it to transport cargo and mail into the European Union and European Economic Area in compliance with EU aviation security requirements.

Combined with its UAE General Civil Aviation Authority Air Operator’s Certificate and European Union Aviation Safety Agency Third Country Operator authorisation, the certification enables SolitAir to operate scheduled freighter services into the EU.

Hamdi Osman, founder and chief executive of SolitAir, said: “Sofia is more than a new dot on the map – it is the first European link in a network we have built city by city across some of the world’s most commercially vital, yet underserved, trade routes.

“Our ACC3 certification was never just a regulatory milestone; it was the key that would let us connect the markets we already serve to Europe.”

Sofia provides access to Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe through established road and rail connections and supports growing demand for air freight across sectors including e-commerce, automotive components, pharmaceuticals and perishables.

The service also gives European freight forwarders, integrators and e-commerce companies access to SolitAir’s network across the Middle East, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the STAN countries and China.

Since beginning operations in October 2024, SolitAir has expanded to 56 routes serving more than 34 countries, including a 17-city African network centred on Nairobi. The airline said the addition of Sofia represents the next stage of its international network expansion.

SolitAir currently operates a fleet of seven Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, each with a 20-tonne payload capacity, and plans to expand its fleet to 20 aircraft operating from its cargo hub at Dubai World Central.

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