Marking the landmark deal to bring LOT Polish Airlines’ US services to Budapest next summer were: David Kostelanczik, Charge d’Affaires, US Embassy in Budapest; Istvan Ijgyarto, State Secretary for Culture and Scholarship Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Mateusz Morawiecki, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Finance of Poland; Peter Szijjarto, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Jerzy Snopek, Ambassador, Polish Embassy in Budapest; Rafal Milczarski, LOT Polish Airlines CEO; and Jost Lammers, Budapest Airport CEO.
The return of US services comes after American Airlines and Delta Air Lines left the Hungarian market in 2011.
In a major piece of network development Budapest Airport has announced the resumption of US services today, as LOT Polish Airlines confirms flights from the Hungarian gateway to New York (JFK) and Chicago O’Hare. Welcoming the arrival of regular 787-8 scheduled services, the first flight due to launch on 3 May 2018, with New York being flown four times weekly and the Chicago sector operated twice-weekly. The return of US services comes after American Airlines and Delta Air Lines left the Hungarian market in 2011.
“We are absolutely euphoric to announce LOT Polish Airlines’ latest development at Budapest, uniting us with not just one destination in the US, but with two,” enthuses Jost Lammers, CEO, Budapest Airport. “For a fast-growing market like Budapest, this is an extremely significant expansion for us and one which LOT, Budapest Airport, the Hungarian and Polish governments, as well as the Hungarian Tourism Agency have worked in close cooperation to put into place. Worldwide connectivity is crucial in today’s global economy and these vital links will boost the demand for travel and ultimately maximise the competiveness of the Hungarian market,” adds Lammers.
The market potential is close to 150,000 passengers between Budapest and New York last year making the Central Eastern European airport New York’s largest unserved market in Europe, and the fourth largest unserved destination in the world from the US city. After New York, Chicago is the number two sought after destination in US from Budapest with more than 42,000 market potential between the two cities in 2016.
As Budapest announces that the US will become the Hungarian capital city’s 47th country market, the Polish flag carrier will be offering a total of 3,024 two-way weekly seats meaning that the North American nation will become the second largest country market outside of Europe served from Budapest in 2018.
“Budapest Airport is enormously proud to announce these new US destinations and I have absolutely no doubt these services will be extremely popular” explains Lammers.
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She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
