The invention relates to a bidirectional optical amplifier array (VA) which is preferably used in a passive optical network (PON) system, is disposed between a first line termination (OLT) and a second line termination (ONU), and is penetrated by an optical downstream signal (OSD) in one direction and an optical upstream signal (OSD) in the opposite direction. Said optical amplifier array is composed of a first part with two branching and combining units (D1 and D2), a unidirectional optical amplifier (E1), and a transponder (T) in which the optical downstream signals and upstream signals (OSU and OSD) are separately amplified. The two signals (OSU and OSD) that run in opposite directions are amplified in a bidirectional amplifier (E2) in a second part. A constant gain is maintained in the bidirectional optical amplifier (E2) by means of the continuous downstream signal (OSD) such that the amplifier can be operated in stable conditions for the upstream signal (OSU) regardless of occurring bursts. In another embodiment, a splitter (S1) is integrated into the inventive amplifier array (VA).