Budapest Airport is expecting another busy summer season this year, said Francois Berisot, CEO of Budapest Airport, at a background briefing in Budapest.
He recalled that in 2025, Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport served 19.6 million passengers, two million more than in the previous year. The increased traffic was handled smoothly. During the summer months last year — June, July, and August — around 5.5 million passengers used the Budapest airport, and further growth is expected this year.
The CEO said that last year, passengers could choose from 154 destinations operated by 45 airlines from Budapest. This year, 49 airlines will operate flights to 166 destinations from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport.
He highlighted that after lengthy consultations, American Airlines launched its Budapest–Philadelphia route in 2026, while Air Canada introduced a Budapest–Toronto service. According to initial feedback, both routes have been performing positively.
Berisot explained that the growth is supported by a range of professional measures. These include the creation of new check-in counters and security lanes, increasing the number of aircraft parking positions, and working closely with ground handling companies to reduce aircraft turnaround times as much as possible.
He added that cargo traffic has also shown significant growth alongside passenger numbers. Last year, the airport handled 426,000 tonnes of air cargo, representing a 42 percent increase compared with 2024, and a further 15 percent growth has already been recorded this year.
Laurence Erbs, Deputy CEO for Traffic at Budapest Airport, emphasized that the measures introduced by the airport have successfully reduced delays. As an example, he mentioned that online services had been introduced in cooperation with airlines.
Capacity at passenger security screening has also been expanded, and traffic flows between Terminals A and B have been balanced more effectively. He explained that although the number of security lanes has decreased, the new corridors provide greater passenger throughput, allowing the airport to process travellers within 10 minutes even during peak periods.
Responding to a question, Budapest Airport’s CEO said that Terminal 1 played a positive role in handling the increased traffic during the UEFA Champions League final period, but reopening it was challenging and was treated as a one-off extraordinary measure. In his view, a permanent reopening of Terminal 1 is not expected, as the building cannot support future technologies.
Regarding passenger traffic expectations for this year, the CEO said it was difficult to provide a precise figure at this stage. So far, traffic has increased by 3 percent. He noted that the conflict in the Middle East has also affected passenger numbers at Budapest Airport, as several destinations in the flight schedule have been impacted by the tensions involving Iran; some services were temporarily suspended or operated with reduced frequency.
He added that Hungary and Budapest remain attractive destinations, providing a strong foundation for this year’s traffic performance.
Speaking about the kerosene supply situation, Berisot said there is currently no fuel shortage at the airport, and supplier partners are able to secure the required quantities. He stressed that summer air travel plans can be made with confidence.
(MTI)
