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Sofia to Paris Beauvais: flight delays and compensation

90,393 passengers travelled between Sofia Airport (SOF) and Beauvais-Tillé airport (BVA) in 2024, according to Eurostat. Here is what a delay or cancellation on this route is worth in each direction, which rules apply, and how often the two airports are hit by air traffic restrictions.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: How we write our guides

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In short: Sofia–Paris is 1,799 km. A 3-hour-plus delay or a late cancellation is worth €400 per passenger from Sofia and €400 from Paris. 90,393 passengers used the route in 2024.

What you can claim on this route

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3 h+ delay / late cancellation
Sofia → ParisEU261any airline€400
Paris → SofiaEU261any airline€400

The amount depends only on distance (1,799 km, measured as the great circle between the airports) – not on the ticket price – and is paid per passenger, children included. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must provide care (meals, drinks, a hotel overnight), and after a cancellation you choose between a refund or re-routing.

Check your Sofia–Paris flight

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What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

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Air traffic flow delays at Sofia (SOF)

EUROCONTROL records the delay imposed on arriving flights when the airport or the airspace around it cannot take more traffic (air traffic flow management, “ATFM”). In 2025, 33,542 flights arrived at SOF; 7 of them were held back this way, 5 by more than 15 minutes – an average of 0.01 minutes per arrival.

What caused the ATFM delay

  • aerodrome capacity100%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Worst days: 2 January 2025 – 230 minutes, mostly aerodrome capacity; 3 January 2025 – 24 minutes, mostly aerodrome capacity.

2026 so far (to 30 September 2026): 26,396 arrivals, 0.00 minutes of ATFM delay per arrival (better than 2025), mainly aerodrome capacity (52%) and other (48%).

Check what happened at SOF on your travel day →

What this means for a claim: ATFM delays come from weather (0% here), air traffic control capacity and staffing (0%) or airport limits – causes airlines often cite as extraordinary circumstances. They are only part of the story: most long delays come from the airline’s own operation (technical faults, crew, late inbound aircraft), which this data does not show. Source: EUROCONTROL.

Air traffic flow delays at Paris (BVA)

EUROCONTROL records the delay imposed on arriving flights when the airport or the airspace around it cannot take more traffic (air traffic flow management, “ATFM”). In 2025, 20,126 flights arrived at BVA; 277 of them were held back this way, 168 by more than 15 minutes – an average of 0.40 minutes per arrival.

What caused the ATFM delay

  • equipment (ATC)38%
  • industrial action (ATC)34%
  • weather13%
  • other10%
  • ATC staffing4%
  • accident/incident1%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Worst days: 2 October 2025 – 2,436 minutes, mostly industrial action (ATC); 27 December 2025 – 811 minutes, mostly other; 3 January 2025 – 479 minutes, mostly equipment (ATC).

2026 so far (to 30 September 2026): 14,548 arrivals, 0.36 minutes of ATFM delay per arrival (better than 2025), mainly ATC staffing (61%) and weather (32%).

Air traffic control strike days recorded for BVA since 2024: 25 April 2024 (46 min); 29 May 2024 (246 min); 18 September 2025 (283 min); 2 October 2025 (2,436 min).

Check what happened at BVA on your travel day →

What this means for a claim: ATFM delays come from weather (13% here), air traffic control capacity and staffing (42%), ATC strikes (34%) or airport limits – causes airlines often cite as extraordinary circumstances. They are only part of the story: most long delays come from the airline’s own operation (technical faults, crew, late inbound aircraft), which this data does not show. Source: EUROCONTROL.

Other routes from these airports

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation for a delayed Sofia–Paris flight?

The great-circle distance is 1,799 km. From Sofia: €400 per passenger (EU261, any airline). From Paris: €400 per passenger (EU261, any airline). The delay at your final destination must be 3 hours or more, and the airline must not be able to prove extraordinary circumstances.

Is a Sofia–Paris flight covered if the airline is not European?

Yes. Both airports apply EU261 (or UK261) to every departing flight, so the airline’s nationality does not matter in either direction.

What if the flight was cancelled?

You can choose a refund or re-routing, get care while you wait, and – unless you were told at least 14 days before departure or the airline proves extraordinary circumstances – fixed compensation. Cancelled flight compensation.

Passenger numbers: Eurostat 2024 (passengers carried between the two airports, both directions). Delay data: EUROCONTROL. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  2. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  3. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – EUR-Lex

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