Direct flight will be relaunched to the United States from Budapest!

This is the umpteen time the Polish national airline, LOT, will begin a direct flight between the Hungarian capital and the Big Apple. Below, we share the details with you.

Polish LOT tries again

According to the Facebook page of Air Logistics Ltd, LOT will re-establish a direct flight between Budapest and New York’s Newark International Airport. However, there is a twist. Air Logistics said in a Facebook post that “America is back again”, but the news talk only about three EWR charter flights. The writing adds that there will be multiple connections in the USA, but that does not change the fact that we talk here about only three direct travel options from Budapest to the United States.

The company said two flights would take off on 24 April from Budapest. Furthermore, an additional one will depart from Hungary’s main air gate, the Liszt Ferenc International Airport, on 7 May. And nothing more. Though they conclude “Welcome on board!” in their post, that does not mean a regular air transport link will be re-established between Hungary and the USA.

The decision is interesting because it seems the operator of the Budapest Airport did not know about that weeks ago. On 17 March, we shared an article based on the information from Budflyer concerning the flights that will serve summer air traffic in Budapest. Then, all sources told us this will be the first summer apart from the COVID period when Hungary would lack a direct travel option to the United States.

Political tension affects air travel?

“LOT will not restart its flight to New York’s JFK even though statistics showed they were fully booked in 2022. Instead, the Polish airline added a new flight to Seoul, competing with Korean Air”, we wrote in March. And now it seems the Polish airline cannot withstand the temptation to relaunch its service even if it is planned to be temporary. In 2022, the Poles served their passengers with the Boeing 787-8 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Surely, we must admit that the official political relations between the United States and Hungary are not the best. The two countries differ on the war in Ukraine. Hungary thinks Kyiv should seek immediate ceasefire and peace, while Washington encourages Zelenskyy to take back what belongs to Ukraine. Therefore, they send weapons and ammunition while the Orbán government does not. Experts say that is why the Biden administration unilaterally terminated a tax agreement between the two countries. Maybe the tension has a consequence even on direct air travel between the two countries.