No fewer than eight basic boarding gates have been established on the concrete at Budapest Airport for passengers departing to destinations within the Schengen zone from Terminal 2A. Up to now, five low-cost carriers, Wizz Air, Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2.com and Dutch airline Transavia have opted to use this method for boarding. This week another light-frame hall with four gates has been opened on the apron of the non-Schengen terminal, T2B.

In the wake of the bankruptcy of the Hungarian national carrier Malév, Budapest Airport was forced to close Terminal 1 at the end of May last year, and reshaped boarding procedures at Terminal 2 in line with the changing needs of its airline partners. Walk on, walk off procedures greatly reduce the turnaround times of flights; for example, low-cost carriers are able to launch a new flight within 30 minutes of arrival. This improves punctuality and leads to a reduction in operating cost, which, in turn, results in lower ticket prices.

“The experiences of the first days’ operation show that both passengers and airlines have quickly adapted to the new gates, making them a big success,” said Kam Jandu, aviation director for Budapest Airport. “This improved method of boarding is a giant leap forward in comfort in comparison to last year, and improves the passenger experience while waiting for their flights close to the aircraft. We have seen a significant improvement in the departure punctuality of airlines in connection with the introduction of the basic boarding gates, and look forward to continuously supporting the five airlines utilizing them for their passengers,” he added.

The new boarding method is available to all airlines, but experiences show that it is primarily used by low-cost carriers. It serves to expand the range of airport services as airlines, depending on their profiles, now have a choice of boarding by air jetty, busing and walk on, walk off procedures via the basic boarding gates. On average, passengers wait 10-20 minutes in the new light-frame halls prior to boarding. Restrooms are available next to the halls, which will soon be fitted with ventilation and cooling during the summer and heating during the winter for added comfort. The temporary tents used until the completion of the halls have already been dismantled.

Source: Budapest Airport