BH Air Balkan Holidays Air Reviews 

Still standing in a queue - can’t check in on line / DO NOT BOOK a Package holiday if your operator uses this operator- as well as Gatwick is jus as bad as ever - customer service - nope customer RIP off on full investigation it’s all The management of Gatwick Airport

Balkan airlines what an experience check in is a joke very slow don’t bother booking seats you won’t get them (you can get these refunded)
You book seats for a reason in our case elderly and special needs
Explained to 3 air hostesses the reason we needed to move 1 to an empty seat next to us was told no we couldn’t then they were between us and 8 year old autistic child so we couldn’t move him. They then allowed adults to move seats to sit with friends before take off tried several times to get their attention was ignored the whole flight. Once in the air and seat belt signs off we went and got him he was sobbing and in obvious distress the flight attendants had ignored him, (they had seen him)
We moved him to sit with us,
We have my elderly mother who had seat 1a ( which we had booked for her for the legroom) we had booked seats 2a to 2e for the rest of us, we got 2a then 20a to d ( seat 20 e was empty)
The 8 year old old was the one we seamed most able to cope as his Nan was infront
The other 2 kids both with additional needs need adult supervision and 1 adult couldn’t cope with 3 kids. Hence the difficult decision we had to make.
After contact Balkan we got our pre booked seats refunded (the ones we didn’t get) NOT THE POINT They have no regard for customer care and were deliberately obstructive, the stress caused was extreme, we had notified the airport and Balkan of our position and booked private taxis to Leeds Bradford and from airport to hotel at the other end to make things easier for us pre booked seats packed meals for the kids and snacks . We tried to make our lives easier but the airline is un accommodating.
We can not use this airline again and donot advise anyone with additional needs to do so.
They regularly do not give you your pre booked seats which is why we contacted company direct but even that doesn’t help

Returning from Burgas to Edinburgh on Flight No. 5579 on Monday 26 June 2023 I was alarmed to see that despite the 'fasten seat belts' announcement accompanied by the 'toilets our of use' notification a number of passengers left their seats with some using the toilets. The Cabin Crew continued serving and made no attempt to enforce the announcement. I do not know what the legal position is with 'fasten seat belts' etc requirement in flight but surely it is an important status. I have read reports elsewhere of people suffering severe injuries during turbulence. I will think twice in the future before flying with Balkan Holidays or their partners European Air Charter.

Flight delayed 2.5hrs on the way there and over 3hrs back, this was with BHAir who Balkan use but don't own or so Balkan tell me.

Refused compensation as BHAir say extraordinary circumstances caused the delay (baggage was loaded late) just a loop hole they use.

Shocking, avoid.

Flight deyaled and there was no check in information until 1,5 House before out flight so we barely made it. Had forgotten mine and a bunch of other suitcases at Copenhagen airport, and then gave me a number too call for updates. When I called the number they either didn’t pick up, or told me that they didn’t knew anything. Would not recommend at all, over all very unprofessional.

Would give zero stars if possible. Our first family holiday to Bulgaria was excellent apart from the travel home. We got an email about 6 days before departure to advise of operational flight change, the time changed due to the fact it wasn’t going direct from Burgas to Belfast and would be stopping for “approx 50 mins” at Edinburgh airport to allow Edinburgh travellers to disembark. Well..

1) Transport turned up to pick up my pregnant wife, 2 year old and me and it was a 7 seater cab with 5 people in it, was told not enough space as we have child?

2) Arrived at Edinburgh airport ahead of schedule at circa 08:15, when parked the air stewardess told all Edinburgh passengers to disembark and Belfast passengers to stay on board ready for swift departure. Around 15 minutes later Belfast passengers were told to disembark and take hand luggage, no mention of what we were to do or where to go just get off basically!

3) Once disembarked, we were held in a queue in international arrivals for over 20 minutes again not being told anything from anyone, handed new boarding passes and told to go through security! All of our bags were scanned and searched 3 times, the special assistance passengers were left in wheelchairs by a door and forgot about! Absolute shambles.

4) Some passengers made their way to desk 12 to check in to Belfast flight to be told by Balkan staff there was NO flight to Belfast and we must seek advice from swissport. Swissport couldn’t tell anyone anything either they were obvlivious. Therefore families with young children and disabled passengers were pretty much left stranded, this went on for well over 1 hour and the arrival Tim in Belfast of 10:00 had well elapsed.

5) We were finally gathered up and told we had to make way to boarding gate 12, although some passengers had called family members to say they had boarded already as advised by other Balkan staff members!

6) Around 11:05 we were back on plane but were told that 4 passengers were missing and if they never showed up they would have to take their hold luggage off and leave behind! Yes leave paying customers behind! 3 of the 4 showed and all of a sudden we were ready to take off!

7) Whilst this happened we had no time to stop for food or drink, I asked the air stewardess for some juice for my daughter to be told that they cannot serve me whilst grounded and due to the flight time from Edinburgh to Belfast there would be no service! Shocking when there was young and elderly passengers!

All in all we won’t be travelling ever again with Balkan airlines, first and last.

What a horrible way to return from an enjoyable vacation!

Avoid, avoid, avoid!!

Our case was damaged on a BH Air flight. They take the age of the case into consideration for compensation and require a written expert repair quote for repair. This meant we would have got very little (if anthing) for our damaged case.
I would not take a case with wheels or an extending handle on a BH Air flight.