Budapest Airport implementing new entry rules

Press release – A government decree enters into force at midnight on Tuesday 1 September which only permits foreign citizens to enter Hungary under certain conditions.

From 1 September, all arriving passengers are subject to a document check and medical screening at Budapest Airport. Non-exempted foreign citizens who are not allowed to enter the country can wait in the part of the transit area dedicated for this purpose until departure. Together with the airport authorities, Budapest Airport is prepared to manage the situation, and has introduced the necessary measures.

Medical screening and document checks

As a main rule, based on the government decree effective as of 1 September 2020, the territory of Hungary may be entered in passenger traffic by Hungarian citizens; subject to the nature of their journey, other special provisions and detailed rules pertain to foreign citizens. (Details: Here are all the new rules about how you can enter Hungary from September 1!)

Separate provisions pertain to participants and organizers of sports events and employees of affiliated companies. A separate regulation pertains to entry into Hungary from the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia by Hungarian citizens and the citizens of these countries, details HERE.

In case passengers intend to cross the border at Liszt Ferenc International Airport, the Budapest District XVIII Police Command may grant an exemption from the travel restriction applicable to foreign citizens, in cases warranting special treatment. 

The Airport Police Directorate checks the travel documents of the passengers of all flights at the border crossing point and subjects them to mandatory medical screening (body temperature measurement), with the involvement of Budapest Airport’s contracted medical service provider.

In accordance with the relevant government decree, passengers need to be questioned in detail and their data needs to be recorded prior to entering the country, the document control requires more time than previously. To facilitate the seamlessness of the entry process, Budapest Airport and the Airport Police Directorate ask passengers to complete, before traveling, the new quarantine form to be uploaded onto Budapest Airport’s website on 1 September, and to hand it over to authority personnel during border control.

The airport would like to call attention to the fact that those who need to enter a quarantine pursuant to the regulations may exempt themselves from such quarantine with two negative SARS-CoV-2 test results carried out in Hungary with at least 48 hours difference.

Together with the Airport Police Directorate, Budapest Airport is prepared to implement the relevant border controls. To ensure a seamless process, the document checks will take place at three different locations in Terminal 2.

Officials ask all travelers to monitor the travel information issued by their airline and Budapest Airport’s website for all other relevant information.

• Wizz Air changes flights due to new border control measures in Hungary

Passengers waiting in the transit area

Foreign citizens who are not permitted to enter Hungary must wait in the designated transit area until departure. Budapest Airport provides blankets, unlimited wifi access and, upon request, face masks for such passengers waiting in the transit area.

Budapest Airport expecting the same level of passenger traffic as at the beginning of the summer

Budapest Airport will continue to welcome and launch flights on a continuous basis.

According to the operator’s forecast, the travel restrictions announced by the government and becoming effective from 1 September are expected to have a similar impact on passenger traffic as the measures in force from the middle of March until June.

Numerous airlines have already canceled their flights for the next month since the announcement. The Budapest Airport therefore expect the same level of passenger traffic as seen during the earlier restrictions, which could be fewer than 3000 passengers per day, whilst the airport normally handles more than 50 000 travelers daily in September.

Photo: Budapest Airport

For the safety of passengers and staff, Budapest Airport performs disinfectant cleaning at the airport on a continuous basis. In the interest of maintaining 1.5 meter social distancing, it placed floor stickers and prohibitive stickers on every second seat in the transit area. The wearing of face masks is mandatory for all staff in the passenger circulation areas of Terminal 2. The ventilation system in the building is regularly disinfected, to ensure an appropriate air supply. Fliers have been available at the terminals in five languages since January, providing information on protection against coronavirus. Budapest Airport has placed hand sanitizer dispensers for passengers throughout the building.