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Ryanair Boss Attacks Wizzair Prices In Budapest

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:10:00 GMT

"Loss making Wizzair cannot compete with Ryanair on prices, costs or punctuality," claimed Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary yesterday afternoon at the InterContinental Budapest Hotel. Ryanair also announced on 9th February that it will open its new Budapest base next Friday 17th February. The airline also confirmed details of record bookings on its 31 routes over the first 7 days since it released fares from as low as €9.99/HUF2,999 to/from Budapest, following the closure of Malev.

New Facebook Group Aims To Save Malév

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:05:00 GMT

"A new civil association started its campaign to be able to launch a new national flag carrier with the savings of hundreds of thousands of private investors. The Facebook page has received 28.000 likes and thousands signed a petition stating that they are willing to pay for the start of a new flag carrier that will be owned by them. A protest will be organized at the weekend and probably it gets aired in some of the TV channels and hopefully it will get to more and more people. Of course only a small portion of Malev could be saved with such a method: it would be a victory to collect enough money for 2-3 planes.

FT: Ryanair vs Budapest: Playing Dirty? Hungarian Airport Response

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:55:00 GMT

"Budapest Airport CEO Jost Lammers was surprised to learn of the comments attributed to Budapest Airport in the FT article yesterday evening. Therefore he wishes to redress the balance with a formal official statement to avoid any misunderstanding for all stakeholders, especially the passengers and Ryanair.

Recovery Continues At Budapest Airport

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:04:00 GMT

"Budapest Airport continues to receive offers from airlines wishing to operate services to or from Budapest since the collapse of Malév on Friday 3 February. A series of airlines have already announced new services including: Lufthansa, Air Berlin, Aegean, Ryanair, Smart Wings and Wizz Air, thus contributing to the recovery.

American Airlines Cancels Budapest New York Service

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:04:00 GMT

"American Airlines has just announced that it will cancel its Budapest (BUD) - New York (JFK) service, the service was scheduled to restart operations on June 15. The airline said it has taken the difficult decision to cancel this service in light of high oil prices and the weakened global economy, which has affected travel demand and the routes performance, we continuously evaluate routes to ensure we are maximizing our fleet and profitability.

Hungary Seeks Budapest Airport Compromise To Protect Budget

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:00:00 GMT

"Hungary will liquidate Malev Zrt. in the “near future” and is seeking a compromise with Budapest Airport on compensation payments stemming from the collapse of the state-owned carrier, the Development Ministry said."

Updated: Important Passenger Notice From Malév

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:00:00 GMT

"Dear Passengers, concerning your travel, we suggest that you ask other airlines about their offers or, if possible, you choose an alternative method of transport.

American Airlines Cancels Budapest Service

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:00:00 GMT

"As per 08FEB12 GDS inventory display, American Airlines has cancelled planned service resumption on New York JFK – Budapest route, followed by the collapse of MALEV Hungarian Airlines. Reservation for this route is closed overnight on Tuesday (07FEB12)."

Wizz Air Invests $100 Million To Expand Budapest Operations

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:00:00 GMT

"Hungarian-based Wizz Air (W6) announced it will invest HUF25 billion ($100 million) into expanding its Budapest operations after state-owned Malev Hungarian Airlines ceased operations Friday. W6 said it will add two Airbus A320s at the base in March, representing a 66% increase in capacity."

Business As Usual For Budapest Airport

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:00:00 GMT

“We are, of course, saddened by the collapse of Malev,” said Jost Lammers, CEO of Budapest Airport. “But we now move into the post-Malev era with a degree of optimism. We are open for business as usual and would like to thank the airlines who have already stepped in to operate some of the routes previously flown by Malev – we will continue to work with these airlines and others, with a view to offering sensible long-term solutions.”

Hungarian Malév Airlines Stops Flying After 66 Years

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:05:00 GMT

"State airline Malév announced the cancellation of all flights at 7 a.m. Friday morning, effectively shutting down all operations after 66 years. Flights were grounded from 5 a.m., with passengers told that the flights were delayed.

Budapest Airport Getting Back On Its Feet After Malév Collapse

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:03:00 GMT

"Budapest Airport is pleased to report that following the events of Friday 3rd February, when the entire Malév fleet was grounded, a gentle calm has returned in the last 48 hours. Budapest Airport successfully used its Crisis Control Center, situated in Terminal 2, to manage the immediate effects of the national airline’s collapse with a primary view to ensuring that stranded passengers were attended to in the best possible way.

Hungarian Airline Malév Collapse Blows Hole In Airport Revenues

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:03:00 GMT

"The loss to Liszt Ferenc International Airport operator Budapest Airport by the demise of Malév airlines has not yet been calculated, company spokesman Mihály Hardy announced. There is little chance that a potential new airline alluded to by the government will come into being soon, he observed.

Escape From Budapest To Sunset Beach Samui

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 GMT

Known as the Coconut Island, Koh Samui is well-known as a dream vacation destination, now especially attractive during the snowy winter in Hungary. A better kept secret is The Sunset Beach Resort & Spa in Thailand.

This luxury boutique property, located directly on the long powdery sand beach, enjoys spectacular views of the coast and nearby islands. The resort sits amidst inspiring private gardens, and the soothing sound of the sea fills the warm air with a magical calm. The pristine beachfront location - with its stunning marine views and picturesque sunsets - makes it a truly charming spot for a relaxing holiday away from the tourist crowds and the current chilly temperatures in Europe.

Budapest Airport To Reevaluate Plans After Malev Collapse

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:00:00 GMT

"Budapest Airport Zrt., the operator of Hungary’s chief international airport, majority-owned by Hochtief AG (HOT), is to reevaluate its 2012 business plan following the bankruptcy of its largest customer, state-owned carrier Malev Zrt., the airport said."

Rivals Swoop In As Hungary's Malev Stops Flying

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:00:00 GMT

"Several budget carriers, including Ireland's Ryanair (RYA.I) and Air Berlin, announced an immediate increase in their flights from Budapest airport, where state-controlled Malev was a major airline providing 40 percent of revenue."

Ryanair To Open Budapest Base, 31 New Routes

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:00 GMT

Following the grounding of Malév today Ryanair announced that it intends to launch 'a rescue plan' for Hungarian air travel and tourism. Ryanair confirmed that it will base 4 new Boeing 737-800 aircraft at Budapest Airport commencing Friday 17th February. Fares will start from EURO 9.99 (approx. HUF2,999), the routes aim to deliver up to 2 million passengers per year. Ryanair is still in discussions with the airport and the Hungarian government to finalise the plan which aims to save around 2,000 jobs, and replace most of the traffic and routes lost due to the collapse of the national carrier.

Wizz Air To Invest USD 100 million In Budapest

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:50:00 GMT

Wizz Air, the largest low fare - low cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe announced today that it would invest HUF 25 billion (USD 100m) into expanding its operations in Budapest. As of March 2012, the airline will add two Airbus A320 aircraft to its Budapest base, a 66% increase in overall capacity. The airline says one result will be 700 new jobs.

Budapest Airport Operating Despite Malév's Collapse

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:08:00 GMT

"Budapest Airport is continously operating despite the suspension of Malév's flights. We are working to ensure that passengers with Malév tickets shall arrive to their destination by rebooking on other airlines.

Wizz Air Offers Rescue Fares To Malév Passengers

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:07:00 GMT

Wizz Air, the largest low fare – low cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe announced today that it would provide a special rescue package to passengers impacted by the suspension of Malev’s operations by offering re-routing alternatives to/from Budapest.