Win a place on a Summer Fam Trip to Graubünden, Switzerland’s No.1 Holiday Destination!
AIRLINE COLLAPSE
Budapest airport moves into a ‘post-Malev’ era
MALEV’S RIVALS have been quick to scramble to fill the gap left by the demise of the 66-year-old Hungarian flag carrier. Europe’s largest no frills carrier,
Ryanair, has already started plans to establish a new base at Budapest airport, with four aircraft operating on 31 new routes. Its first flight from the new base will take off next week on February 17.
In addition to Ryanair’s new base, British Airways, Air France, KLM, Germanwings and Brussels Airlines have increased their frequency to Budapest. Lufthansa and Wizz Air have also upped capacity and announced new routes, as has Air Berlin, which has revealed a new flight from the German capital. Despite the former oneworld member’s long history, Malev had been unable to compete with the region’s aggressive no-frills airlines, including Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz.
The final blow was the European
Commission’s order for it to pay back £108m in state aid that it had received between 2007 and 2011. The failed airline left debts in the
region of £170m. Malev’s financial situation has been unstable for many years and included it having to be
renationalised in February 2010 after a failed privitisation in 2007, when it was acquired by AirBridge. A white paper on Malev’s financial situation, published last year by Hungary’s ministry of national development, highlighted what it described as poor management, a lack of long-term strategy and ineffective fleet planning. Despite the blow of losing its national flag carrier, Budapest airport said it would work hard to maintain air connections with other airlines. “We are, of course, saddened by the collapse of Malev,” said Jost Lammers, chief executive of Budapest airport. “But we now are moving into the post-Malev era with a degree of optimism. We are open for business as usual and would like to thank the airlines who have already stepped in to operate some of the routes previously flown by Malev.” Malev’s failure follows Star Alliance member Spanair’s a week earlier, which came after the Catalan government cut its funding. Airline experts have warned that more airlines that rely on state funding could disappear this year, as European governments enforce austerity measures.
Graubünden Tourism is launching a competition for travel agents in Europe. Take part in our online monthly quiz from February to April 2012 and you could win a 7-day holiday fam trip to Graubünden.
The prize fam includes:
Six nights in the Swiss region of Graubünden, staying in 4-star Sunstar Hotels in both Flims and Lenzerheide from 5 –11 July 2012 .
Fly with Swiss International Air Lines to Zurich and travel freely on train and postbus transport with your graubündenPASS. Relax in the summer alpine scenery of Graubünden, Switzerland’s No.1 holiday destination. The prize also includes free use of the cable cars in Flims and Lenzerheide.
How to enter?
Two travel agents from the UK will win. Start collecting points this month by answering our 5 quiz questions and fill in your email details exactly the same each month, so that your points can be collated correctly.
Iberostar bought the Andalucia Playa Hotel from Thomas Cook last year
agreeing to buy five Thomas Cook hotels in Spain for a total of ¤94m. Oscar Luis Gonzalez, European
director of marketing, told TTG purchasing the hotels from Cook was part of the group’s long-term strategy. “We have been managing these
hotels for 16 years so the purchase is a coherent step in our growth process. “All of them are located in key destinations for us, and we know that they fit perfectly within the company portfolio and will cater to our customer needs.”
Closing date: 26 April 2012, conditions apply.
Have you signed up for Graubünden’s monthly trade enewsletter? If not, visit
www.graubunden.com/trade
ccnr270112
Enter our competition now at
www.graubunden.com/trade answer the 5 quiz questions from February to April correctly and enter your email details. Good Luck!
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