More flights on the horizon: Budapest and this immensely popular Asian country to deepen aviation ties

Hungary and China are set to negotiate modifications to their aviation cooperation agreement, aiming to expand the number of flights between the two nations beyond the current 21 per week. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, during his visit to Beijing, highlighted the growing tourist exchange and significant Chinese investments in Hungary as drivers for enhancing air connectivity. The proposed changes could include new routes and increased flight frequencies, strengthening both passenger and cargo traffic.

Hungary has announced plans to begin talks with China to revise their aviation cooperation agreement, seeking to boost the number of flights between Budapest and major Chinese cities, AIRportal.hu reports. According to Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, this development aligns with the increasing tourist traffic and substantial Chinese investments in Hungary, which currently amount to over HUF 4,000 billion (EUR 9.66 billion).

At present, there are 21 weekly passenger flights operated by several Chinese airlines connecting Budapest to cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Cargo traffic is equally robust, with major Chinese carriers like Air China Cargo, China Eastern Cargo Airlines, and China Southern Cargo facilitating regular freight services. Additional charter and cargo flights are also operated by other Chinese airlines, as well as Uzbek and Georgian carriers.

Chengdu, China. Photo: depositphotos.com

The proposed revisions to the aviation agreement could allow for new routes to be opened and flight frequencies to be increased.

Discussions are already underway for direct connections between Budapest and Chengdu via Sichuan Airlines and Xiamen via Xiamen Airlines.

This move follows an agreement made last year, which raised the cap on weekly flights between the two countries from 21 to 42, encompassing both passenger and cargo operations. With tourism already surpassing pre-pandemic levels, this initiative aims to meet growing demand while fostering stronger economic and cultural ties between Hungary and China.

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Featured image: depositphotos.com