A new route with great significance in terms of tourism and the economy will open on 19 June at Budapest Airport. Lyon, both as a city and as a region, has been an uncovered area in the airport’s route network for a long time. The nearest directly accessible destination on offer was Geneva, located approximately 150 kilometers east of Lyon.

This new Air France flight, operated by Britair, will arrive in the Hungarian capital twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, using a 100-seater Bombardier CRJ1000 type aircraft. Market research indicates that the new service could quickly become popular amongst travelers.

Lyon is the second largest city in France after Paris, and is also one of the largest industrial centers in the European Union. It is equally important in terms of commerce, serving as the other major economic hub in France besides the capital. Due to its geographic position, it has excellent commercial relations and connections with Italy and Switzerland.

The most important industries in the city are chemicals and mechanical engineering, but science, research and development and education are also very strong. Lyon boasts two airports; of these, the Brit Air aircraft flying to Budapest will be using the larger one handling international traffic, Saint-Exupéry Airport.

“We warmly welcome Brit Air and the new destination offered from Budapest,” said Kam Jandu, aviation director for Budapest Airport. “Lyon is a very important business and tourism destination in France and it has been missing from our offer for a long time now. We have been working on establishing this new flight for several years and I am sure that this route will be a real hit amongst passengers of Brit Air, both in France and in Hungary.”

“We have been planning to open a direct flight between Budapest and Lyon for a long time,” commented Botond Melles, country manager for Air France-KLM in Hungary. “Lyon has been one of the most sought-after destinations amongst our business travelers and corporate clients from Budapest for years, but so far a direct flight has not been available. From now on Lyon, the gastronomical capital of France with its numerous world-famous restaurants boasting Michelin stars, is just two hours away. We are delighted that from June we have managed to make Lyon accessible to passengers from Budapest.”

Brit Air, an Air France subsidiary based in Morlaix (Brittany), operates around 300 daily flights to destinations in France and Europe. The airline operates a fleet of 39 regional aircraft made up entirely of Bombardier CRJ (Canadair Regional Jet) models; the smallest is the CRJ100 able to accommodate 50 passengers and the largest is the CRJ1000, which will be used on the Budapest route. Air France, with its regional subsidiaries, operates 1,500 daily flights in France, Europe and worldwide.

Source: Budapest Airport