The entire European airspace is affected by delays, not just Budapest, said the Deputy CEO for Communications and Government Relations at Budapest Airport on the M1 current affairs channel on Saturday.
According to Katalin Valentínyi, the first cause of the delays is that European airspace is very crowded, due to factors such as the summer period, the tourist season, and sports events like the European Football Championship and the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Additionally, the ongoing war in the neighboring region also impacts the European airspace situation, as flights cannot pass over Ukraine and Russia, meaning planes must take detour routes, primarily affecting Hungarian airspace.
Lastly, she mentioned weather conditions, highlighting that thunderstorms can slow down ground services at the airport, and in very bad weather, planes may not be able to take off.
Katalin Valentínyi also stated that „help points” have been set up at gates in terminals A and B of the airport, where all information is available. In addition to the airport seats, reclining chairs have been placed there, along with „totems” where phones can be charged. For families, baby food, diapers, and wipes are provided, and water and sandwiches are distributed if needed.
When asked what advice she would give to passengers, she replied that this situation is likely to continue until the end of September, so it is important to be prepared for delays this summer at European airports.
She emphasized that passengers should buy flexible tickets and consider possible delays when planning connections for subsequent flights.
„It’s very important for passengers to be prepared for possibly spending several hours at the terminal, so if they need medical equipment or medications, it is advisable to pack them in their carry-on luggage,” she said.
She also mentioned that it is worth traveling on morning flights, as a given aircraft, which makes several trips, has not yet accumulated delays, whereas evening flights are more likely to be affected by delays.
