Budapest: Emirates on Monday (October 27) launched a daily non-stop service to Budapest, marking its first entry into Hungary.
The inaugural flight was welcomed by Jost Lammers, Chief Executive Officer, Budapest Airport, along with partners from the travel trade and local media, at a special reception held at the airport.
“Our new daily service to Budapest will stimulate growth and provide new opportunities for Hungarian trade and tourism, through greater connectivity via our hub in Dubai. Both businesses and individuals in Hungary will benefit from enhanced links that Emirates will provide to over 60 destinations in the Far East and Australasia, West Asia, Indian Ocean and Middle East. We believe this new route will support Hungary’s aims to develop closer trade links with the East, and be a catalyst for further trade and tourism growth,” said Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates, during a press conference in Budapest.
“I have no doubt that our Hungarian customers will appreciate Emirates’ excellent product and award-winning service. Emirates’ new daily service will create additional air links to boost Budapest’s accessibility, and at the same time, we are also glad Hungarian travellers have better access to our global network, and vibrant home in Dubai — to enjoy the city’s hospitality, world- class attractions, warm weather and beautiful, sandy beaches.”
Emirates will also open a customer contact centre in the Budapest on Tuesday (October 28), said Antinori.
The new Emirates office and call centre will support 300 local jobs, resulting in a multi-million dollar investment in the local economy.
Tim Clark, President of Emirates airline, said in a statement: “Connectivity and mobility are crucial in today’s global economy, and our service to Budapest will open up a world of opportunity for people in Hungary. It will introduce faster connections for our customers — both passengers and exporters — through our Dubai hub to numerous points that are currently underserved, including Sydney, Taipei and Phuket. These vital connections will inject new demand for travel, help boost bilateral trade with markets in the East, and magnify the competitiveness of the Hungarian economy. Ultimately, our global network benefits our customers.”
When questioned about increasing airfare and reducing fuel prices, Thiery Antonium said that it’s not easy to reduce fairs. “We don’t fly over Iraq, Syria and Ukraine due to the situation there and we burn a lot of fuel to find alternatives,” he said.
