newstodate.aero
Apr 19, 2012 (newstodate): Lack of Hungarian aviation agreements in certain markets is a key bottle-neck in Budapest Airport's efforts to overcome the problems created by the demise of Malev a few months ago.
The airport is seeing Austria's Vienna Airport and Prague Ruzyne airport reaping the benefits from the current unstable situation.
-Vienna have 7.6 times more weekly flights to Turkey than Budapest and the Hungarian capital is lagging far behind Prague in the number of air connections to Russia. In fact Budapest has just 14 flights per week to Russia whereas Prague has no less, than 90. Both the Austrian and Czech governments have capitalized in recent years on liberalizing flights between their countries and these non-EU markets, says Budapest Airport on its website.
-Since the collapse of Malev, over 80 percent of the lost point-to-point traffic has been recovered, however there are certain destinations where Budapest Airport alone cannot introduce new carriers without properly modified traffic right agreements.
-This has a very adverse effect on the Hungarian economy because less tourists are able to visit Hungary from these markets as there are just not enough flights, in addition approximately four jobs are lost for each week that has elapsed since Malev was grounded and no new airlines being designated.
The issue is with non-EU carriers as EU carriers can enjoy all benefits from the Open Sky policy.
-In case of Budapest, important countries like Russia, Ukraine, Israel and Turkey could be serviced only on the basis of these agreements. When Malev existed these routes were served by two carriers, now there is only one left on each destination, like Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines, El Al or Aerosvit, the airport says.
The airport is seeing Austria's Vienna Airport and Prague Ruzyne airport reaping the benefits from the current unstable situation.
-Vienna have 7.6 times more weekly flights to Turkey than Budapest and the Hungarian capital is lagging far behind Prague in the number of air connections to Russia. In fact Budapest has just 14 flights per week to Russia whereas Prague has no less, than 90. Both the Austrian and Czech governments have capitalized in recent years on liberalizing flights between their countries and these non-EU markets, says Budapest Airport on its website.
-Since the collapse of Malev, over 80 percent of the lost point-to-point traffic has been recovered, however there are certain destinations where Budapest Airport alone cannot introduce new carriers without properly modified traffic right agreements.
-This has a very adverse effect on the Hungarian economy because less tourists are able to visit Hungary from these markets as there are just not enough flights, in addition approximately four jobs are lost for each week that has elapsed since Malev was grounded and no new airlines being designated.
The issue is with non-EU carriers as EU carriers can enjoy all benefits from the Open Sky policy.
-In case of Budapest, important countries like Russia, Ukraine, Israel and Turkey could be serviced only on the basis of these agreements. When Malev existed these routes were served by two carriers, now there is only one left on each destination, like Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines, El Al or Aerosvit, the airport says.