I've done a quick check on the Malev site but can no longer find their flight to Budapest from Cork. Anyone know what has happened to this flight (used to be 3 times a week I think)?
If it's gone I now have to trek to Dublin Airport in the wee hours..
Thanks for the info. I have used that route once or twice a month for the last year or so - it was always busy , in fact they overbooked and I was bumped off it a few months ago! Strange that they've cancelled it. . .
I'll try asking Malev directly but meantime anyone in the know about when / if it will start up again?
I think I read that they're trying to focus more on shorter Eastern European flights from Budapest and were dropping loss making / marginally profitable longer flights to elsewhere which doesn't suggest they're likely to restart any time soon.
Flights may have been full alright, but unless the average fare paid was decent that doesn't mean MALEV were making any money on the route.
You never know Aer Lingus might start Cork-Budapest services if Malev have gone off the route.
Malev have been losing money for years AFAIK; they are a kind of old-style Aer Lingus outfit, a state carrier that didn't think too much about costs and overheads.
The pressure on the routes from Ireland to Budapest may be related to the fact that Ryanair has switched its flights to Budapest instead of Balaton. Competition from Ryanair on the Dublin Budapest route is now creating excellent value on that route.