The launch of Budapest Airport’s link to Shanghai saw a major development for the gateway earlier this year. In partnership with China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines’ three times weekly service to China’s largest city meant the previously underserved Budapest-Asia market was significantly boosted, as well as making the region and beyond more accessible than ever.
Today, Hungary’s capital city airport demonstrates the market opportunity as the airline confirms the operation will become daily from this December, just six months after initially launching the link. The additional flights include an operation via Chengdu and Xian twice-weekly to compliment the Shanghai link which, including an established Beijing link with Air China, now sees Budapest offer four nonstop connections to China. Recognising the demand for further capacity on the route, Shanghai Airlines’ expansion will see a significant boost from 89,000 seats annually to 207,000.
Commenting on the development, Kam Jandu, CCO, Budapest Airport, says: “Shanghai Airlines’ rapid expansion on this route clearly signifies Budapest’s global popularity continues to go from strength-to-strength. The early traffic results exceed projected market demand showing even greater opportunity for our new airline partner.” Jandu added: “The World Tourism Organisation recorded nearly two million more international visitors to Budapest last year [when compared to 2016]. We continue to work closely with all our partners to ensure demand can not only be met but surpasses expectation for all our visitors as well as offering multiple opportunities to those travelling from Hungary to discover the globe.”
