Budapest Airport Bulletin with the latest news for travellers!

The following bulletin has been issued by Budapest Airport, and it contains the latest news on entering Hungary, health protection measure, available flights and exclusive offers.

Rules of entry into Hungary

Rules of entry into the country can be found on the website of Budapest Airport: https://www.bud.hu/covid_19

Budapest Airport is asking passengers to review information on regulations currently in force.

As of 18 June, EU and EEA citizens as well as Hungarians returning from these countries may enter Hungary without restrictions.

Based on the legal regulation on ‘epidemiological readiness’ introduced simultaneously with the lifting of the ‘state of danger’, from 00:00, 18 June, citizens of the European Union as well as Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland are allowed to freely enter Hungary, without restrictions, and Hungarian citizens returning from the countries of the EU or the European Economic Area do not have to enter quarantine after crossing the Hungarian border either.

Read alsoBorder crossing: who is allowed to enter Hungary and for what reason?

In the case of the United Kingdom, rules of immigration and emigration do not change, that is, Hungarians returning from there have to enter quarantine for two weeks, and UK citizens are only allowed to enter Hungary with separate permission.

Based on the regulation, it is not the rules pertaining to travel in the Schengen zone which are re-introduced, as police now will be checking the citizenship of each person crossing the border, that is, they have to check their passports.

The authorities at the airport in Budapest are performing their tasks of border control in line with the new regulations from the moment the new decree became effective.

Passengers holding passports issued by third countries but whose entry into Hungary was permitted by the authorities have to undergo body temperature measurement. Based on the decision of the authorities, measuring body temperature is not required in the case of other passengers.

Health protection measures

Budapest Airport has introduced the measures included in international recommendations weeks ago, and in accordance with them, it is ensuring the protection of health of passengers and airport staff. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) issued common guidance (recommendations) regarding European aviation which has ensured the safe operation of airports during the pandemic. These measures are fully adopted by the operator of the airport of Budapest. 

Additionally, Budapest Airport Zrt prescribed a strict protocol for contracted service provider partners which is mandatory for them to observe in order to ensure that all processes of travel – from entering the terminal to boarding planes – should be safe. The company, simultaneously with the introduction of precautionary measures, provided special training for all colleagues in contact with passengers on how the measures have to be observed and enforced at the airport.

Read alsoRestarting flights and new logistics park at Debrecen Airport!

At the airport in Budapest, an effective combination of precautionary measures was introduced, offering a safe environment for passengers with the lowest possible risk. Europe is gradually opening up; for exploring its beautiful cities, Liszt Ferenc International Airport is a reliable starting point.

Europe is opening up – here is the list of flights available from Budapest

Borders are opening in Europe; for June and July, several airlines announced the re-start of their flights to and from Budapest.

Wizz Air has also announced two new routes: this summer, they are offering flights from Budapest to Santorini of Greece, and Menorca, Spain.

In upcoming weeks, the planned schedule of Liszt Ferenc International Airport is the following:

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, different regulations are in force in each country, subject to which the schedules of airlines may also change dynamically. Regarding actual flights schedules, up-to-date information is provided on the webpages of airlines.

Chinese airlines operating flights to Budapest are unlikely to re-start their flights before July due to the ban of Chinese authorities on international travel. American Airlines and Air Canada Rouge will not start direct seasonal flights from Budapest in 2020.

Exclusive offers in the SkyCourt

More and more shops, cafés and restaurants are reopening to passengers at the airport, in line with effective regulations. An expanding product range and enhanced shopping experience is welcoming passengers departing from Liszt Ferenc International Airport: an increasing number of food and beverage outlets, gift shops, the supermarket, cafés and restaurants are once again open at the airport. Retail outlets also pay heightened attention to health protection measures, staff there serve passengers in face masks, and disinfectant cleaning is also performed on a regular basis.

Successful measures to protect jobs

Budapest Airport Zrt operating Liszt Ferenc International Airport announced headcount reduction back in April due to the adverse impact of the coronavirus on the sector. In spite of the cost cutting measures introduced, Budapest Airport was unable to maintain headcount levels that had been adjusted to the formerly forecasted 17 million passengers for this year.

The BUD group over recent months have done everything in its power to protect jobs. Thanks to its job protection measures and the wage support provided by the state, the extent of headcount reduction planned initially was reduced from 275 to 143 full-time employees and 47 employees holding second jobs. Regardless of the headcount reduction, Budapest Airport is ready to operate the airport safely and to build traffic up gradually again.

Employees affected by headcount reduction are treated by Budapest Airport in the most humane and fair manner possible. The Foundation for the Employees of the BUD Group was established with the aim of providing support for our people currently or previously employed whose physical or mental health or social safety has been put at risk by the coronavirus epidemic. The management of Budapest Airport offered part of their income, and the shareholders of Budapest Airport subsequently decided to provide the same amount in support for the activities of the Foundation.

One-day maintenance on Runway 1

From 08:00 to 19:00, 18 June, Budapest Airport closed runway 1 of the airport for maintenance. During the one-day runway closure, the rubber burnt onto the runway surface during landing and take-off of aircraft is removed in order to ensure the required friction.

Source: www.bud.hu/en