Malev (Budapest) could be succeeded by another national carrier should the Hungarian government find an acceptable partner. According to the Napi Gazdaság daily newspaper, Hungary's Ministry of National Development says the country would be willing to play a minor role in any such airline provided investors offer a sustainable business model and are willing to foot the initial start-up costs.
The Ministry has attempted to play up Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport's low level of congestion, good quality infrastructure and ideal location for an Eastern European/Balkans hub.
Budapest's last venture into the airline industry - Malev - was forced to end operations in 2012 after the European Commission (EC) ordered it to repay EUR130 million worth of illegal state-aid. Thereafter, in 2014, Sólyom Hungarian Airways (Budapest) had promised to fill the void left by Malev only for these plans to collapse weeks before its official launch when its Omani investors suddenly pulled out. It still claims it plans to launch operations at a later stage.
Currently, Hungary's most prominent operator is Wizz Air (W6, Budapest), a pan-European budget carrier among whose larger backers is US-based private equity firm, Indigo Partners LLC.
