Budapest Airport has already started reworking its plans for 2012 in light of the shutdown of national carrier Malev, the operator of Liszt Ferenc International Airport Budapest told MTI late Sunday.
Budapest Airport called the loss of Malev a “serious challenge” but said it would continue to strive to be the best airport in Central Eastern Europe.
Budapest Airport said other airlines had quickly taken over Malev’s capacity, some as soon as Friday, when the troubled carrier’s flights were grounded. It added that WizzAir, Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, KLM, Brussels Airlines and Norwegian were boosting capacity at the airport and that Air Berlin, Germany’s second-biggest airline, had started a daily Budapest flight.
Budapest Airport said it was looking to the future with “cautious optimism”. “There is life after Malev,” it added.
Budapest Airport, a unit of Germany’s Hochtief, said earlier it expected passenger numbers in Budapest to reach 9.2m this year, 300,000 more than in 2011.
Under Budapest Airport’s privatisation contract, the state must pay HUF 450bn if passenger turnover at the airport drops. Asked about the clause in the contract at a press conference late Friday, state secretary for infrastructure Pal Volner said turnover might not drop at the airport as other airline’s take up Malev’s capacity. He added that if it did, the National Development Ministry would negotiate with Budapest Airport.