Shanghai Airlines launched a twice-weekly service yesterday between Budapest and Ningbo, the southern coastal city in China.
Utilizing the airline’s 246-seat Boeing 787-900s on the 8,466-kilometer sector, the carrier’s latest link joins its established operation to Shanghai.
Balázs Bogáts, CCO, Budapest Airport states: “Hungary is once again a fast-growing tourism market for China, with records showing an expected increase of Chinese visitors travelling to Budapest this year as we see further easing of travel restrictions. We have been working hard to secure this service and Budapest Airport would especially like to thank the Consulate General of Hungary in Shanghai for its great assistance in the process of securing our latest link to China.”
Bogáts adds: “Budapest is home to one of the biggest Chinese communities in Central Europe and we are proud to launch another vital link from East Asia to Budapest. We have no doubt the new route will be a huge success.”
In another highly significant move, Shanghai Airlines will also be raising frequency on the crucial Budapest-Shanghai route, from three to five-weekly at the end of this month. The Hungarian gateway now has four non-stop connections to China – Beijing, Chongqing, Ningbo and Shanghai – and the new route, alongside raised frequencies, will mean Budapest will offer 10 weekly services to the East Asian country this summer.
Including cargo connections, Budapest operates seven routes to China. Shanghai Airlines’ new operation follows the successful pathway led by the carrier’s dedicated cargo route to Ningbo.