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29 March 2024

Emirates flies to Budapest, opens Customer Centre in city

Emirates’ inaugural flight is welcomed at Budapest Airport. (SUPPLIED)

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By Staff

Dubai-based Emirates has launched a daily non-stop service to Budapest, marking its first entry into Hungary.

The airline’s daily flight to Budapest is operated with a wide-body Airbus A330-200 aircraft in a two-class configuration.

The inaugural flight today was welcomed by Jost Lammers, Chief Executive Officer, Budapest Airport, along with partners from the travel trade and local media, at a special reception held at the airport. A contingent comprising Zoltan Jancsi - Ambassador of Hungary to the United Arab Emirates – and other business leaders, accompanied by senior Emirates representatives, was present on the inaugural flight.

“Our new daily service to Budapest will stimulate growth and provide new opportunities for Hungarian trade and tourism, through greater connectivity via our hub in Dubai. Both businesses and individuals in Hungary will benefit from enhanced links that Emirates will provide to over 60 destinations in the Far East and Australasia, West Asia, Indian Ocean and Middle East. We believe this new route will support Hungary’s aims to develop closer trade links with the East, and be a catalyst for further trade and tourism growth,” said Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates.

With the new daily service, Emirates SkyCargo will offer 12 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity in each direction. Majority of the exports from Hungary are expected to comprise of chemical products bound for North Asia and Asia Pacific. The cargo division expects imports into Hungary to be dominated by semi-conductors, telecommunication devices and components, electronics, and personal and household goods coming in from Asia.

Emirates’ new Budapest route coincides with the opening of the airline’s Customer Contact Centre in the city on 28 October, which will support 300 local jobs, representing a multi-million dollar investment in the local economy.

The UAE is Hungary’s largest trading partner in the Arab world with annual trade between the two countries valued at approximately $1.2 billion (Dh4.4 billion).

Emirates currently employs 171 Hungarian nationals in various roles across the company, including 124 Cabin Crew and nine Pilots.