Old Oct 24, 2022, 1:51 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: GuyWMD
Zdrasti (which apparently means hello in Sofia...
Please feel free to add your travel plans if you wish, or reach out to a fellow traveller via PM.

Jan 2024



Feb 2024



Mar 2024
Fri 1st LHR-SOF BA890 - GuyWMD
Fri 1st SOF-LHR BA891 - GuyWMD
Sun 3rd LHR-SOF BA890 - GuyWMD
Sun 3rd SOF-LHR BA891 - GuyWMD



2023 ARCHIVE
Dec 2023
Mon 4th SOF-LHR BA891 - fluffymitten
Thu 7th LHR-SOF BA890 - EGLK FLYER
Fri 8 SOF-LHR BA891- EGLK FLYER


Nov 2023
Thu 2nd LHR-SOF BA890 - peter h
Thu 2nd SOF-LHR BA891 - peter h
Sat 4th LHR-SOF BA890 - Deathslam
Tue 7th LHR-SOF BA890 - peter h
Tue 7th SOF-LHR BA891 - peter h, Deathslam
Thurs 9th LHR-SOF BA890 - ms101, Bluekjp
Thurs 9th SOF-LHR BA891 - Bluekjp
Tues 14th SOF-LHR BA891 - ms101
Wed 15th LHR-SOF BA890 - Gastrocnemius, peter h
Wed 15th SOF-LHR BA891 - Gastrocnemius. peter h
Fri 24th SOF-LHR BA891 - EGLK FLYER
Tues 28th LHR-SOF BA890 - klimike
Tues 28th SOF-LHR BA891 - klimike
Wed 29th LHR-SOF BA890 - choosethedrew, EGLK FLYER, fluffymitten
Wed 29th SOF-LHR BA891 - choosethedrew
Thu 30th SOF-LHR - EGLK FLYER


Oct 2023
Monday 23rd October - LHR-SOF - BA0892 - muttley_
Monday 23rd October - SOF-LHR - BA0893 - muttley_
Tuesday 24th October - LHR-SOF - BA0892 - muttley_
Tuesday 24th October - SOF-LHR - BA0893 - muttley_


2022 ARCHIVE
Dec 2022
Thu 1 - LHR-SOF BA890 - TPRun,
Thu 1 - SOF-LHR BA891- TPRun,
Sun 4 - LHR-SOF BA890 - DarkHarlequin,
Sun 4 - SOF-LHR BA891 - DarkHarlequin,
Wed 7 - LHR-SOF BA890 - DarkHarlequin, gustavmahler,
Wed 7 - SOF-LHR BA891 - DarkHarlequin, gustavmahler, AtoB,
Tue 13 - LHR-SOF BA890 - Lucanesque,
Thu 15 - SOF-LHR BA891 - Lucanesque,


Nov 2022
Sat 5 - LHR-SOF BA890 - stephenjc+1, LeeT, 86BA7, Gastrocnemius, palcsaky, FlyingBrit,
Sat 5 - SOF-LHR BA891 - LeeT, palcsaky, FlyingBrit
Sun 6 - LHR-SOF BA890 - palcsaky,
Sun 6 - SOF-LHR BA891 - stephenjc+1, 86BA7, Gastrocnemius, palcsaky* Plane went Tech in Sofia, Pax overnighting, returning on Mon 7 Nov @ 12.30pm
Tues 8 - LHR-SOF BA890 - IJG2,
Tues 8 - SOF-LHR BA891 - IJG2,
Thu 10 - LHR-SOF BA890 - TPRun, FlyingBrit, Vahan Hovhannisyan, smiles in the aisles,
Thu 10 - SOF-LHR BA891- TPRun, Vahan Hovhannisyan, Lucanesque,
Sat 12 - LHR-SOF BA890 - jfallesen, 81romeo,
Sat 12 - SOF-LHR BA891 - 81romeo FlyingBrit,
Sun 13 - LHR-SOF BA890 - Lucanesque,
Sun 13 - SOF-LHR BA891 - jfallesen,
Tues 15 - LHR-SOF BA890 - TPRun, rosswill,
Tues 15 - SOF-LHR BA891 - TPRun, rosswill, smiles in the aisles,
Thu 17 - LHR-SOF BA890 - TPRun, Percy Pig+1, 81romeo,
Thu 17 - SOF-LHR BA891- TPRun, Percy Pig+1, 81romeo, Lucanesque,
Sat 19 - LHR-SOF BA890 - Vahan Hovhannisyan, ms101, 1A or No Way,
Sat 19 - SOF-LHR BA891 - Vahan Hovhannisyan,
Sun 20 - LHR-SOF BA890 - TPRun,
Sun 20 - SOF-LHR BA891 - TPRun, ms101, 1A or No Way,
Tues 22 - LHR-SOF BA890 - TPRun,
Tues 22 - SOF-LHR BA891 - TPRun,
Wed 23 - LHR-SOF BA890 - DarkHarlequin, Waggy, travellingwigbury, rosswill, Jetstreamer, MrCheapSeats,
Wed 23 - SOF-LHR BA891 - DarkHarlequin, Waggy, rosswill, Jetstreamer,
Thu 24 - LHR-SOF BA890 - TPRun+1,
Thu 24 - SOF-LHR BA891 - travellingwigbury,
Sun 27 - SOF-LHR BA891 - TPRun+1,
Tues 29 - LHR-SOF BA890 - josh100+1,
Wed 30 - LHR-SOF BA890 - DarkHarlequin, Jetstreamer, gustavmahler, AtoB,, IJN Harekaze
Wed 30 - SOF-LHR BA891 - DarkHarlequin, Jetstreamer, josh100+1, gustavmahler, IJN Harekaze


Oct 2022
Thu 27 - LHR-SOF BA890 - onobond
Thu 27 - SOF-LHR BA891 - onobond
Sat 29 - LHR-SOF BA890 - LeeT,
Sat 29 - SOF-LHR BA891- LeeT,













Print Wikipost

SOF B2B Meet Up Thread

Old Nov 13, 2022, 2:00 am
  #166  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: London / Brighton
Programs: BAEC Gold / M-Life Gold / HH Diamond
Posts: 1,625
Originally Posted by woobl
Not really a B2B question, as Im doing a overnighted, but has anyone found some good restaurants in Sofia? Theres a few places on Google, but any recommendations would be great!
Two Id recommend are Cosmos and ANDR, both serving modern European food. Cosmos is a bit more relaxed with some good cocktails, ANDR is trying to create more of a fine dining ambience.
woobl likes this.
Lucanesque is offline  
Old Nov 13, 2022, 2:58 am
  #167  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: BA GGL + GfL
Posts: 273
Im on todays SOF flight, and watching the inexperienced gate agent/Marshall at A15 insist that even Group 1 and biz have to check in roller bags. Hes decided the rule is one piece of hand luggage only and NOT 1 piece plus a personal item. Also about 100 people have come forward for Group 1 boarding presumably as a demonstration/retaliatory attack!
BA_Pax is offline  
Old Nov 13, 2022, 3:39 am
  #168  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: London / Brighton
Programs: BAEC Gold / M-Life Gold / HH Diamond
Posts: 1,625
Originally Posted by BA_Pax
Im on todays SOF flight, and watching the inexperienced gate agent/Marshall at A15 insist that even Group 1 and biz have to check in roller bags. Hes decided the rule is one piece of hand luggage only and NOT 1 piece plus a personal item. Also about 100 people have come forward for Group 1 boarding presumably as a demonstration/retaliatory attack!
Interesting boarding experience today, all felt very disorganised. Plus points, its not a bus to the plane, minus points, inexperienced gate staff and an hour late leaving. 4/10, must try harder BA
Lucanesque is offline  
Old Nov 13, 2022, 11:12 am
  #169  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: London / Brighton
Programs: BAEC Gold / M-Life Gold / HH Diamond
Posts: 1,625
Originally Posted by Lucanesque
Two Id recommend are Cosmos and ANDR, both serving modern European food. Cosmos is a bit more relaxed with some good cocktails, ANDR is trying to create more of a fine dining ambience.
Went to Cosmos for dinner tonight, cost about 30, which I think is good for the quality. Thoroughly recommend this place.

Started with a Shepherds Salad - tomato, cucumber, porcini, Elana Balkan prosciutto, Smiliyan cheese,, marinated onion, olives, buffalo cheese and egg foam:
SHEPHERD'S


Then I had the Umbrina Fish - cooked in three ways, sorrel puree, edamame, fermented chili in honey, Cosmos XO beurre blanc:

woobl likes this.
Lucanesque is offline  
Old Nov 13, 2022, 1:15 pm
  #170  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold / Hilton Diamond / IHG Diamond Ambassador / Marriot Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,508
Originally Posted by woobl
Not really a B2B question, as Im doing a overnighted, but has anyone found some good restaurants in Sofia? Theres a few places on Google, but any recommendations would be great!
Urban Legend - steak house and while good a bit pricey.
Cosmos - relaxed, funky surroundings - the tasting menu for two including pairing is about 150. Good value.
Restaurant Vodenitzata- out of town in the hills . Had lunch there today for 50 for two including wild boar. A taxi should be around 15 but we came back on the bus No66 to Vitosha and metro to IC for 3.20bgn each and you can pay by credit card.

underground /metro is superb with great maps. Excellent signage and direct to from airport to the IC for 1.6bgn
gustavmahler and Fatdickie like this.
binman is offline  
Old Nov 13, 2022, 1:21 pm
  #171  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,698
I went to the Billa supermarket for lunch and it cost me 2-3
xenole is offline  
Old Nov 14, 2022, 9:45 am
  #172  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: LON
Programs: BAEC Gold, QRPC Silver, Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 265
Hi all, I'm flying on these two flights:

Sat 19 Nov LHR-SOF BA890

Sun 20 Nov SOF-LHR BA891

I'm staying a night in Sofia, does anyone know if they accept card to get on the metro? I was looking at a travel guide and it says metro accepts cash only - so not sure if this is applicable!
ms101 is offline  
Old Nov 14, 2022, 9:48 am
  #173  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: LON
Programs: BAEC Gold, QRPC Silver, Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 265
Originally Posted by 81romeo
I guess I was one of the GGLs in row 1 today

It was a nice experience but a way too early start for me (personally I struggle to get out of bed before 5am - and 5am is already a stretch). The pods parking at T5 were the highlight of the day for me, so was the very quiet CCR at 6:30am and the view from T5B where we left from. I always thought the pods were on tracks but turns out they have wheels with tires, which just roll on the tarmac.


The pods


Very quite CCR - the carpets are a nice addition to the first row of armchairs


View from T5B

Crew was very attentive but they run out of Baileys and Champagne (I only had one glass). On the way back they offered me anything I wanted from the buy onboard menu (for free), which was a very nice and generous gesture.

The second highlight of the day were the CE menus, yes.I was handed menus after ages, on the way out I got even two


Two menus on the way out

Surely, nobody missed out on the salmon.
Come on BA, these portions are ridiculous and embarrassing (second pic was my brekkie in the CCR this morning, for comparison).


The salmon dish onboard


The salmon brekkie in the CCR (+ California eggs)

On the way back I had a look at the Prawn Cocktail but could only see two giant lettuce leaves, so I opted for the Paccheri Pasta, really really good (no picture as I was v hungry).

B2B in SOF was a joke, literally off the plane and straight (left turn) to the gate again. Didnt bother going into the lounge. Had some nice conversations with a number of other passengers doing the same B2B (mostly to re-qualify for Gold).

Back on the 891 we landed 45 minutes ahead of schedule, but we had to wait at a holding position for 40 minutes before docking at B gates again.
Immigration was a breeze, same as the way back to the parking site via pods (this time I had an entire pod on my own ).
I was also on the same B2B, I got the salmon in Row 4 and the Tikka on the return, the portion for salmon was honestly a joke!
ms101 is offline  
Old Nov 14, 2022, 10:44 am
  #174  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: London / Brighton
Programs: BAEC Gold / M-Life Gold / HH Diamond
Posts: 1,625
Originally Posted by ms101
Hi all, I'm flying on these two flights:

Sat 19 Nov LHR-SOF BA890

Sun 20 Nov SOF-LHR BA891

I'm staying a night in Sofia, does anyone know if they accept card to get on the metro? I was looking at a travel guide and it says metro accepts cash only - so not sure if this is applicable!
The ticket machines at the airport definitely do, I bought a ticket yesterday with Apple Pay. However, there was only one machine at the station in town I used this morning that took cards and it was out of order. If youre travelling to / from University (SU Sv. Kliment Ohridski), where the Intercontinental and Hyatt are, then you *should* be OK as there are a number of entrances and so more machines
Lucanesque is offline  
Old Nov 14, 2022, 11:17 am
  #175  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Lincoln, UK
Programs: A3G, BA Silver, LH FT
Posts: 293
Originally Posted by ms101
I'm staying a night in Sofia, does anyone know if they accept card to get on the metro? I was looking at a travel guide and it says metro accepts cash only - so not sure if this is applicable!
You can use a contactless card just like on TfL
https://www.visitsofia.bg/en/how-to-...blic-transport
palcsaky is offline  
Old Nov 14, 2022, 11:27 am
  #176  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: LON
Programs: BAEC Gold, QRPC Silver, Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 265
Originally Posted by Lucanesque
The ticket machines at the airport definitely do, I bought a ticket yesterday with Apple Pay. However, there was only one machine at the station in town I used this morning that took cards and it was out of order. If youre travelling to / from University (SU Sv. Kliment Ohridski), where the Intercontinental and Hyatt are, then you *should* be OK as there are a number of entrances and so more machines
thanks for this! I'm staying at Marriott's Sofia Hotel Balkan - i saw the train goes straight to Serdika so hopefully will be ok
Lucanesque and Fatdickie like this.
ms101 is offline  
Old Nov 14, 2022, 11:27 am
  #177  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: LON
Programs: BAEC Gold, QRPC Silver, Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 265
Originally Posted by palcsaky
You can use a contactless card just like on TfL
https://www.visitsofia.bg/en/how-to-...blic-transport
amazing, thank you!
ms101 is offline  
Old Nov 14, 2022, 12:26 pm
  #178  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: London / Brighton
Programs: BAEC Gold / M-Life Gold / HH Diamond
Posts: 1,625
Originally Posted by ms101
thanks for this! I'm staying at Marriott's Sofia Hotel Balkan - i saw the train goes straight to Serdika so hopefully will be ok
thats where I am. If youve not stayed here before, ask for a refurbished room at checkin - some of the old rooms can be a bit grim.
Lucanesque is offline  
Old Nov 14, 2022, 12:35 pm
  #179  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: LON
Programs: BAEC Gold, QRPC Silver, Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 265
Originally Posted by Lucanesque
thats where I am. If youve not stayed here before, ask for a refurbished room at checkin - some of the old rooms can be a bit grim.
thanks for the tip! any recommendations for breakfast/lunch nearby?
ms101 is offline  
Old Nov 14, 2022, 1:08 pm
  #180  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: London / Brighton
Programs: BAEC Gold / M-Life Gold / HH Diamond
Posts: 1,625
Originally Posted by ms101
thanks for the tip! any recommendations for breakfast/lunch nearby?
I normally grab breakfast in the hotel, although would also recommend Lavele (cross the square past the beautiful Sveta Nedelya church, and its 100m to Lavele St). For lunch Id recommend Cosmos (one of the restaurants I link to up thread)
Lucanesque is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.