The two new air passenger services to Budapest launched by Shanghai Airlines at the end of last year were given an official welcome at Budapest’s Liszt Ferenc International Airport. The first flights arrived from Shanghai via Xi'an and Chengdu on 30 and 31 December, and are taking off twice a week according to the published schedule.

In his welcome speech, Parliamentary State Secretary Levente Magyar from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said that it is a success of the government’s Eastern Opening policy that four new air passenger services between Hungary and China have been launched within the space of one year. “But this isn’t the only thing we have the Eastern Opening policy to thank for, but also new workplaces and investments, and closer relations between the two countries”, he added. In addition, he emphasised that improving ties is in the interests of both parties, since the more tourists and investments arrive in Hungary, the higher the revenue.

The State Secretary pointed out that China is the world’s largest source country for tourists, and almost a quarter of a million Chinese tourists arrived in Hungary last year, with their numbers expected to increase to multiple times the current level in the upcoming years. “The government is committed to further diversifying the country’s and Budapest’s air transport links, to which end the operator of Liszt Ferenc International Airport, Budapest Airport is receiving all possible government assistance. In his speech, CEO of Budapest Airport Rolf Schnitzler said that thanks to the two new air passenger services, Hungary has become the country with the best air transport links to China within the Central and Eastern European region.

“There are now 13 direct flights a week between the two countries, to five different cities. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Hungary last year was 220 thousand, and we expect a further increase this year”, he added. The CEO pointed out that in the recent period the airport has introduced several changes that are favourable to Chinse tourists: the larger shops now accept the most popular Chinese payment methods, and passenger information signs now include information in Chinese. Regional Director of China Eastern Airlines, the parent company of Shanghai Airlines, Mr. Chie Chiu highlighted the fact that the airline flies all over the world from its headquarters in Shanghai, transporting 130 million passengers last year, making it one of the world’s 10 largest airlines.

(MTI)