Warning: Intense heatwave to hit Hungary, followed by sudden temperature drop
A new heatwave is expected to sweep across most of Hungary until next Friday, with temperatures reaching up to 37°C in the southern counties, according to HungaroMet Plc.’s latest forecast. Following this, a significant cold front is predicted to arrive next weekend, bringing widespread showers and thunderstorms and causing a notable drop in temperatures.
The forecast indicates that the Carpathian Basin will largely avoid major cyclones and their fronts, allowing temperatures to soar, with little to no rainfall expected. However, isolated showers and thunderstorms may occur in the western regions on Tuesday and Wednesday, Pénzcentrum writes, based on HungaroMet’s weather forecast.
The extreme heat will persist throughout the week, particularly in southern Hungary, where nighttime temperatures will also remain unseasonably warm. The northern and western regions will experience slightly lower, but still high, temperatures.
Heatwave followed by a cold front
By next Saturday, the arrival of a strong cold front from the northwest will lead to widespread precipitation and a sharp decline in temperatures.
HungaroMet Plc. has issued an orange-level heat warning for Baranya, Tolna, Bács-Kiskun, and Csongrád-Csanád counties for this Sunday, as average daily temperatures in these areas are expected to exceed 27°C. Several other counties are also likely to see daily averages above 25°C as the weekend concludes.
Early next week, the extreme heat is expected to continue in several southern counties, with daily averages remaining above 27°C on Monday and Tuesday.
Read also:
- Hungary experiences hottest and 7th driest July on record in 2024 since 1901
- Attention: Trains running in Hungary not fit for this climate – MÁV’s advice
Featured image: illustration, depositphotos.com
Hungary experiences hottest and 7th driest July on record in 2024 since 1901
This July was the hottest and the seventh driest since 1901, the HungaroMet weather service said on Monday.
HungaroMet said the median temperature in July was 24.53 degrees Celsius, 3 degrees higher than the average between 1991 and 2020, making it the hottest since 1901.
July 2024 was also the 7th driest since 1901, with precipitation levels at 22.2mm, far behind the 71.8mm average of the period between 1991-2020. Some regions, especially in the west of the country, rain levels remained below 5mm in the month.
Weather forecast for Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with cloudy patches and occasional showers in central and eastern Hungary.
Lows: 10, 15.
Highs: 25, 30 C.
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- In Budapest on the hottest days of the year? Go to the only free Budapest Danube beach! – PHOTOS
Government takes action amid hospital air-conditioning breakdown crisis in Hungary
The state secretary in charge of health services said on Monday that the government is using 1.3 billion forints (EUR 3.3m) to finance repairs on hospitals’ air conditioning (AC) systems.
Péter Takács told public media that in the recent heat wave four hospitals, out of a total 81, had to reschedule operations. He added that “there have been minor problems (with air conditioning) everywhere but no urgent case was left unattended.” “Hospitals were able to resolve their problems through reorganising their services,” he said.
In view of heat waves occurring more frequently, the government started modernising the air conditioning systems in hospitals three years ago, having spent over 10 billion forints to that end so far, Takacs said, adding that 14 major hospitals across the country now had completely new systems.
On another subject, Takács noted that the European Union’s health ministers will meet in Budapest on Wednesday and Thursday. Their agenda will focus on making health care services resistant to the impacts of climate change.
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In Budapest on the hottest days of the year? Go to the only free Budapest Danube beach! – PHOTOS
The Római Beach is a unique opportunity in Budapest to cool down in the water of the River Danube on the hottest day of this summer.
We wrote in our weather forecast that today will probably be the hottest day this year, with a chance to break a 120-year-old temperature record. It might happen that thermometers will show 42 degrees and above in some places and regions of Hungary today. And that is just the temperature in the shadow and 2 metres above ground. In the cities, the temperatures may even go higher.
Hence, it is a good choice to visit Római Beach in Budapest, the only free city beach open to the public all day. There are sunbeds, a diaper changing room, showers and free bike stores. The beach is open between 10 AM and 7 PM until 20 August.
Free Budapest Danube beach accessible for everybody running away from the schorching heat
According to BKK, you may use Budapest’s excellent public transport system to get there from the city centre. You can take bus nr 34 until Szent János Street station, from where you can get to the beach after a couple of minutes’ walk. You can also come by bike since you can leave it at a nearby sports ground (Kossuth Lajos üdülőpart 15-17.).
Here are some more photos:
The local government of Óbuda informed everybody that authorities check the water quality at the beach regularly. Provided the results are unsatisfying, the beach closes until the quality of the water betters. The red buoys mark 120 cm water depth. The Danube Coast First Aid Service of the Hungarian Red Cross ensures the safety of bathers.
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Heatwave in Hungary peaking, 120-year-old record will probably break – UPDATE!
Based on weather forecasts, today will be this year’s hottest in Hungary. The UV radiation will be extra high, so experts recommend that everybody stay home and not get exposed to the radiation and heat. The heatwave in Hungary is peaking today, so be cautious.
Heatwave in Hungary peaking today
HungaroMet, the state-owned successor of the Hungarian Meteorological Service, Sunday saw another record broken since thermometres in Körösszakál showed 41 degrees Celsius. That means a 116-year-old record was broken in Hungary. The previous peak was in Eger in 1908, with 39 degrees. From Sunday to Monday, in Szeged, the temperature decreased only to 27 °C, which made a good night’s sleep almost impossible without air conditioning in the Hungarian City of Light.
Today’s question is whether another record will be broken like yesterday, also in Körösszakál with 39.5 degrees. Here is a chart of the Monday peaks, but today will be even hotter:
According to HungaroMet, today, maximums will be between 35 and 41 degrees, but in some places, the temperature may rise even above 41 °C. Therefore, today’s temperature may break even the absolute national heat record, measured in 2007 in Kiskunhalas (41.9 °C).
Highest-level warning in Hungary
Showers may take place in the Northeastern regions of Hungary, bringing the weather down a bit. We can expect hail and storms in every part of the country due to the extreme heatwave in Hungary. HungaroMet recommends everybody consume enough water and endure the extreme heat in climatised places. The UV radiation will be extreme today.
Authorities issued the highest-level, red warning in ten counties. People should be cautious in Pest, Baranya, Bács-Kiskun, Békés, Csongrád-Csanád, Fejér, Hajdú-Bihar, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok and Tolna counties. The daily average will not decrease below 29 degrees in those places, index.hu wrote.
Will summer last 5-6 months in Hungary?
The extreme heat may cause headaches, tiredness, fluctuation in blood pressure, and sickness. Hot nights may cause somnipathy and insomnia.
According to the data of HungaroMet, the average temperature this June in Hungary was 21.6 degrees, 1.8 degrees more than the 1991-2020 average. This June has been the fifth hottest month since 1901. Furthermore, this half year has been also the hottest ever.
The Climate Policy Institute of the MCC said there were years (2012, 2021, 2022, 2023) when the number of heatwave days exceeded 15. And the future is grimmer. If humanity continues the emission of greenhouse gases like before, the number of heatwave days may grow to 40-50. That would mean the summer season would last 5-6 months in the Hungarian Great Plains.
UPDATE 1 – Daily maximum already broke
Hungary’s daily maximum (40 degrees) already broke today in Körösszakál, where thermometres showed 41.4 °C at 3 PM, Időkép wrote. A weakened cold front will reach Hungary on Wednesday, moderating the scorching heat and lowering daily maximums by a couple of degrees.
UPDATE 2 – Historic maximum did not break today
Körösszakál’s 41.4 °C was the highest temperature measured today, so the record of 41.9 degrees (Kiskunhalas, 2007) remains.
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Two worlds meet in Hungary: Violent storms in some places, scorching heat in others
Hungary is divided: in the northern and northwestern parts of Transdanubia, temperatures have dropped below 30°C with violent storms, while the southern and southeastern regions are still experiencing a heatwave with temperatures reaching 36-38°C during midday. The difference between the two corners of the country can be more than 10°C.
Heatwave, storms
Relief has come to the northern and northwestern parts of Transdanubia, as well as the broader region of the Northern Central Mountains (Északi-középhegység). According to Időkép, slightly cooler air masses have brought a few degrees of respite from the intense heat in these areas today. By 12:30 PM, thermometers in the northwest were showing values between 25 and 29°C, a refreshing change compared to the previous 35°C.
However, those living in the southern and southeastern parts of the country are less fortunate, as the heatwave continues unabated with midday temperatures reaching 36-38°C. Today, we can still expect cooling thunderstorms and potentially record-breaking temperatures. These storms may bring heavy rainfall, hail, and strong winds.
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Attention: Trains running in Hungary not fit for this climate – MÁV’s advice
In recent days, travellers of MÁV in Hungary have often experienced significant delays, with many having to wait in non-air-conditioned carriages under sweltering conditions.
Many MÁV trains do not have an AC
László Kormányos, Deputy CEO of MÁV-Start, told RTL that the railway cars are 40-50 years old and were not designed for the current climatic conditions.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Due to the summer heat, a large number of people are travelling across the country to find a cooler place where it’s easier to take this weather. Meanwhile, the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) faces multiple challenges: downed overhead wires, significant delays, and melting tracks. Even on trains with air conditioning, it often doesn’t work properly.
While MÁV distributes water at stations, they recommend postponing travel or opting for bus services if possible (where, according to them, “at least the AC is working”).
Take the bus if you really need to travel
Kormányos also mentioned that all their staff are working hard to ease the passengers’ situation, which is difficult for them as well. He reiterated the advice to postpone travel or take a bus during the extreme heat. He noted that only 40% of trains have air conditioning, and nearly half of those have subpar systems.
On Friday, MÁV advised passengers sensitive to the extreme heat or those with health risks to travel only if absolutely necessary during the heatwave. They suggested using Volánbusz intercity buses, which offer a parallel solution and noted that 84% of these buses are equipped with air conditioning, recommending the use of county and national passes for travel.
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Highest-level heat alert issued in Hungary, scorching heat expected this weekend – UPDATE: 102-yo record broken
The weather service HungaroMet has issued the highest-level red heat alert for fifteen counties in effect until Saturday midnight, with median daily temperature forecast above 29 °C.
The red alert has been issued for Baranya, Bács-Kiskun, Békés, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Csongrád-Csanád, Fejér, Hajdú-Bihar, Heves, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komárom-Esztergom, Pest, Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, Tolna and Veszprém counties.
A second-degree heat alert has been issued for an additional four counties. The median temperature is forecast to stay above 27 °C in Győr-Moson-Sopron, Nógrád, Vas and Zala counties.
HungaroMet has forecast sunshine accompanied by scattered showers and thunderstorms over the weekend, with temperatures hitting up to 41 °C.
UPDATE: 102-year-old record broken today!
On 11 July, thermometers showed 40 °C in Kelebia, which is record-high on that day in Hungary. The record was 38.5 degrees before in Szerepen in 1922. In Újpest, Budapest’s 4th district, thermometers showed 38.5 degrees. The previous record was 37.5 degrees (1968).
In Boda, the daily minimum was 26.9 degrees, higher than the historic record of 24.8 degrees (2017, Szekszárd).
On Thursday, surgeries halted due to the record-high temperatures in multiple Budapest hospitals. In some settlements of the agglomeration of Budapest, authorities announced water restrictions.
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Caution: Hungary to see brutal heatwave with 40 degrees Celsius
Those sensitive to heat are advised only to leave air-conditioned places when necessary, as a huge heatwave will hit Hungary next week.
Heatwave to hit Hungary
The next week in Hungary promises to be hot, with daytime temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country, according to Köpönyeg.hu‘s weather forecast for next week.
Sunday, 7 July
We can expect a lot of sunshine, but occasionally clouds will increase, and in the Transdanubian region some thunderstorms and showers are possible. There will be light air movement. It will be hot with highs of 30-36 degrees Celsius.
Monday, 8 July
Refreshing precipitation may occur in the northwest at dawn, in the evening in the Trans-Tisza region. Apart from this, it will be a real beach shower with lots of sunshine, according to the forecast. It will remain hot, with highs above 35 degrees in the south. The wind will also pick up in the northwest.
Tuesday, 9 July
Almost uninterrupted sunshine and no precipitation. Temperatures will be around 36-37 degrees in the afternoon, and it will go up to 38-39 degrees in the south. The wind from the northeast will only pick up occasionally.
Wednesday and Thursday, 10 and 11 July
It promises to be a real holiday season, with lots of sunshine and no rain. The heatwave is intensifying, with temperatures in most places reaching over 35 degrees Celsius, with a chance of 40 degrees in the Southern Great Plain.
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VIDEO of Wizz Air’s Budapest flight being struck by lightning
One of the passengers filmed from inside the plane as lightning struck a Wizz Air flight from Budapest to London on Saturday morning.
Wizz Air plane struck by lightning
Wizz Air flight W62201 from Budapest to London was struck by lightning on the morning of 22 June, rtl.hu reports.
The incident was reported by a passenger in the public Facebook group “Légiközlekedés – Repülés – PlaneSpotting“. The Airbus A321-271NX on Wizz Air flight W62201 and its occupants were unharmed, the passenger wrote in a comment.
The interesting thing is that there was only light and a small sound effect, the plane continued its journey undisturbed. In front of us, a passenger was snorting the whole flight, not even alerted. So it was a little bump, nothing more!
The passenger was filming the dense thunderstorm cloud in which the plane was travelling and was lucky enough to catch the moment of the lightning strike. According to rtl.hu, footage showing what it’s like to be struck by lightning from inside the cabin of a passenger jet is rare.
@zsom3ditz1
The lightning is believed to have struck the nose of the plane, and some of the massive electrical charge was discharged on the wings. The slow-motion version of the video shows the lightning passing through several points on the right wing:
Is lightning dangerous for those travelling on the plane?
Zsolt Szüle, an instructor pilot, told Index that the body of the plane is protected by a layer of aluminium on the outside, which remains intact in the event of a lightning strike.
According to rtl.hu, the fuselage, made partly from aluminium and other similarly conductive metal alloys, acts as a lightning rod, conducting the electrical charge in such a way that the passengers remain unharmed.
The aircraft’s sensitive instruments and equipment are protected against surges, so they are not damaged in the tenth of a second it takes for lightning to pass through the fuselage. This is why, despite statistics showing that the average passenger or cargo plane is struck by lightning once or twice a year, there are no reports of any air incidents because of it.
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PHOTOS: Homes left uninhabitable after East Hungary storm
Several homes east of the Danube have been left uninhabitable after being damaged in an overnight storm, a spokesman of the national disaster management authority (OKF) said on Sunday.
Firefighters responded to some 240 calls by Sunday morning across the country, mainly east of the Danube, Dániel Mukics told MTI.
Emergency response teams mostly received calls about uprooted trees and fallen branches, but several houses were also damaged, Mukics said, adding that the storm caused most of the damage in Csongrád-Csanád and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties.
Most of the damage was caused by strong winds and hail, but some homes were hit by lightning, he said. In the village of Bekessamson, a lightning strike set a tree on fire, which then spread to a home, he added.
A total of eight people had to be evacuated from their homes in the towns of Buj and Ibrany after they were rendered uninhabitable in a hailstorm, Mukics said.
The downpour also flooded basements in several places, he said.
Read also:
- Hungary heat record broken! – Read more HERE
- Important change at Hungarian train, bus stations due to the heatwave! – Details in THIS article
Featured image: illustration
Hungary heat record broken!
A 24-year heat record was broken in Hungary on Saturday, HungaroMet Zrt said on Facebook.
Temperatures exceeded 35 degrees Celsius in several places in the southern Great Plain, with a record-high 37.7 C measured in Derekegyhaz, in Csongrad-Csanad County.
The previous national heat record on June 22 was 37.6 C recorded in the village of Tiszaroff, in eastern Hungary, in 2000.
Read also:
- Important change at Hungarian train, bus stations due to the heatwave! – Read more HERE
Important change at Hungarian train, bus stations due to the heatwave!
We wrote this morning that a hellish heatwave will reach Hungary this week. Therefore, authorities introduced a third-degree heat alert from today until Saturday midnight.
According to portfolio.hu, during the heat alert, the Hungarian railway company, MÁV-Start, is to distribute mineral water at the busiest Budapest and rural railway stations between 10 AM and 5 PM on workdays. Volánbusz, Hungary’s biggest public bus service company, announced the same for Budapest’s Népliget and the bus stations of the Hungarian county seats between noon and 2 PM.
Hungarian train, bus stations: free water available for passengers
MÁV-Start will give water to passengers at the Nyugati, Keleti and Déli railway stations in Budapest. Rural stations include the train stations of Miskolc, Debrecen, Nyíregyháza, Békéscsaba, Szeged, Kecskemét, Szolnok, Győr, Veszprém, Pécs, Nagykanizsa, Siófok, Fonyód, Tapolca, Zalaegerszeg and Celldömölk.
Volánbusz will distribute mineral water at Népliget and in the following bus stations: Békéscsaba, Debrecen, Eger, Győr, Kaposvár, Kecskemét, Miskolc, Nyíregyháza, Pécs, Salgótarján, Szeged, Székesfehérvár, Szekszárd, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabánya, Veszprém and Zalaegerszeg.
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Heat alert in Hungary: Hellish heatwave coming
Summer has started in Hungary and it’s already showing its true colours. Last week, a heat wave was forecast, and we’re marching into it right now. From Wednesday until Saturday midnight, a third-degree heat alert will be in force in the country.
Third-degree heat alert from today
A third-degree heat alert will be in effect from Wednesday to Saturday midnight, the National Public Health Centre and the National Directorate General for Disaster Management of the Ministry of Interior said in a joint statement on Tuesday.
According to the decision of the National Chief Medical Officer, the heat alert will be in effect from 0:00 on Wednesday until midnight on Saturday, throughout the country, Telex reports.
People at risk and precautions
The reason given is that the heat is hard even on healthy bodies, but young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with cardiovascular disease are particularly at risk.
The two government agencies urge everyone to drink plenty of water, stay out of the hot sun at midday, use sunscreen and wear a hat or cap.
During the peak of the heat, it is best to be in shade or in a cool, air-conditioned place and avoid strenuous physical work. (Find a list of air-conditioned places in the country with addresses HERE.)
If you’re going to the beach, cool down your heated body before going into the water, and don’t jump into the water with a hot and sweaty body.
If you see children or pets in cars unattended
Drivers could also be affected by the heat.
Do not leave children and pets in parked cars for even a few minutes, as even a car parked in partial shade can get dangerously hot. If you see a child or pet left in a car, call 112 immediately.
In open areas, only light fires in designated fireplaces, unless there is a fire ban in your county. It is not recommended to burn garden waste at this time. When barbecuing or cooking, do not leave the fire unattended.
High temperatures
From Wednesday, temperatures in the south of the country will rise to over 35 degrees Celsius. The highest temperatures may reach 37-38 degrees Celsius in some places.
Thus, HungaroMet has issued a second-degree heat alert for three southern counties (Békés, Csongrád-Csanád, Bács-Kiskun) on Wednesday and five counties (Tolna and Baranya, beside the above mentioned) on Thursday. In these areas, the daily mean temperature is expected to be above 27 degrees Celsius.
As Daily News Hungary wrote last week, this week will see the the first major heatwave of the summer, which means highs could reach 35 degrees for the first time this year.
Precipitation is generally unlikely this week, but a few places could see a quick rain storm.
Beaches at Lake Balaton
All you want in this heat is to dip yourself into Lake Balaton? Understandable; however, you’d better be prepared for expensive beach tickets. As we reported HERE, some beaches at Lake Balaton saw a 50% increase in entrance ticket prices this summer. Check out our article for beach entrance fees and how they compare to 2023’s Lake Balaton prices.
Read also:
Sunscreen on! Strong heatwave approaches Hungary
Get ready for a heatwave! Significant warming will start in Hungary from Saturday, with temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius next week.
Wednesday and Tuesday
On Wednesday and Thursday, the volatile weather will continue, with showers and rainfall in several places. Some areas might experience thunder, according to the weather forecast of Időkép.
In the west, temperatures will remain below 20 degrees Celsius, while elsewhere between 21 and 27 degrees will be typical. In the east and southeast, higher temperatures are possible.
North-northwest winds may be accompanied by strong gusts in many places, especially in the Transdanubian region.
Summer for the weekend, heatwave for next week
From Friday, no more significant precipitation is expected, and there will be more sunshine.
From Saturday, the flow will turn south over us, bringing warmer air.
Thus, on Sunday we could see temperatures towards 30 Celsius degrees in several places.
The warming will continue next week with the first major heatwave of the summer. That means highs could reach 35 degrees for the first time this year.
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Shocking: Tornado sweeps Hungary – PHOTOS
A tornado touched down near Szombathely. The supercell came from Austria.
Tornado in Szombathely
Időkép just reported that Szombathely has experienced a tornado. This is the second cloud cone observed in Hungary this year.
The tornado was also captured by the webcam of Időkép.
Check out more photos HERE.
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Hungarian Wizz Air landed in India for the first time
A Wizz Air plane landed at the international airport of Trivandrum, India. This was the first time the Hungarian budget airline’s plane touched the ground of the subcontinent.
Wizz Air does not go to America
We wrote earlier that Wizz Air plans to acquire 47 A321XLR planes by 2030. These are long-range aircraft. But based on the company’s CEO, József Váradi, they do not plan to launch Transatlantic flights with the help of those planes.
That might be because of the bad US-Hungary relationship, thanks to the Hungarian government’s stance on the war in Ukraine. The Orbán cabinet would not like to provide Ukraine weapons and focuses on the importance of ceasefire and peace talks in their 2024 election campaigns.
Orbán regularly says that without their victory (and the victory of the “pro-peace forces”) in the elections, NATO and the EU would join the war against Russia in Ukraine and suggests that Hungarians would be sacrificed for Ukraine in the Eastern front. The Biden administration and many European leaders are mad to hear or read those statements.
First plane landed in India
That is probably why Wizz Air plans to expand in the East. CEO Váradi said they aimed to open new routes to Central Asia and India, and their first flight landed in the subcontinent, even though it was not intentional.
According to Budflyer, a Hungarian travel news Facebook page, because of the intense weather, Wizz Air flight 5W7105 was diverted to Trivandrum, India. Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines flight MU235 was diverted to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Maldivian flights Q2245 and Q2165 were diverted to Kadhdhoo Airport, while Q2707 from Cochin was diverted to Gan.
This means that a Wizz Air flight already touched Indian ground. Here is a photo of the Wizz aircraft:
And a video of the diversion:
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Thunderstorm above Budapest Airport prevented several planes from landing
Several planes were unable to land in the Hungarian capital at Budapest Airport due to a chain of thunderstorms raging over the city. The airport has posted a pop-up message which welcomes visitors to the site.
Budapest Airport disrupted by heavy weather
“Due to the severe thunderstorm raging over Budapest, significant delays are expected at Budapest Airport. Delays and even cancelations are possible in the case of departing flights, while flights arriving in Budapest are also subject to delays and diversions (landing at another airport).
“So far, flights from Berlin and Stuttgart to Budapest have been unable to land at Ferenc Liszt International Airport and have been diverted to other cities. Currently, the airport is operational, but ground handling is slow, due to lightning and heavy thunderstorms.
“We ask for the kind patience and understanding of our passengers,”
the website of Budapest Airport informs visitors of the site.
A third flight to Amsterdam is also listed as cancelled in the list of arrivals: however, according to Telex, at 22:40 on Tuesday, most departing flights were reported as delayed by the airport system.
Read also:
- Scandal at Budapest Airport: Dozens of passengers denied boarding by Wizz Air
- Another direct flight to Greece from a Hungarian city in the countryside
Featured image: depositphotos.com