When the journey itself becomes the message: what the first foreign trip of the new TISZA government reveals about Hungary’s transport culture

Scheduled air services, low-cost carriers, high-speed rail and Railjet connections

The first official foreign trip of Hungary’s new government took it to Poland and then Austria. Most analyses will likely focus on the diplomatic and political messages behind the visit, yet it was noteworthy from another perspective as well: transport policy.

The first official delegation of the TISZA government travelling abroad did not primarily use government aircraft, but rather scheduled airline services and rail transport. At first glance, this may seem like a minor detail. In reality, however, it is a gesture that, in many European countries, is already regarded as a deliberate political and transport policy message.

This is not about a government delegation saving a few thousand euros on airline tickets. Rather, it is about using the same transport infrastructure that citizens, business travellers, and tourists rely on every day.

The journey itself speaks volumes

The entire itinerary suggests that the new government consciously sought to use scheduled transport services and intended to demonstrate this not merely as a matter of communication, but as a genuine practice.

During the official programme, the delegation travelled from Budapest to Kraków via Vienna on a scheduled Austrian Airlines flight. From Kraków to Warsaw, they continued their journey not by air but by scheduled intercity train, making use of one of Poland’s most important transport corridors. Part of the delegation travelled directly from Budapest to Warsaw on a scheduled Wizz Air flight and joined the programme there.

The only exception was the segment to Gdańsk, which was completed aboard a Polish government aircraft together with the Polish leadership.

On the return journey, public transport once again played the dominant role. The delegation travelled from Poland to Vienna on a scheduled Austrian Airlines flight and then returned from Vienna to Budapest on a scheduled Railjet train service.

More than a cost-saving measure

Over the past sixteen years, it has become standard practice in Hungary for a significant proportion of government trips to be undertaken using dedicated government aircraft or VIP jets chartered for the occasion, even when there is no apparent reason that would require their use.

By contrast, in many European countries, ministers and senior government officials regularly travel by rail or on scheduled airline services. This is true in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries.

The significance of this is not primarily economic. The gesture conveys that political leaders are willing to use the very same system whose operation, development, and funding they themselves are responsible for. If public transport is considered good enough for citizens, then it should be good enough for decision-makers as well.

In transport policy, this often means more than a new strategy document or a high-profile investment announcement.

The choice of Austrian Airlines was no coincidence

The selection of the airline for this trip was therefore not merely a matter of geographical convenience. It also represented the use – and, to some extent, the recognition – of a well-functioning Central European transport model. Particularly interesting in this context is the fact that Hungary lost its own hub status following the collapse of Malév, while Vienna has successfully strengthened and expanded that role ever since.

As an aviation professional, I find it particularly interesting that Austrian Airlines was chosen. Today, Austrian Airlines is not only Austria’s national carrier, but also one of the most important members of the Lufthansa Group and a key player within the Star Alliance network.

Over the past two decades, Vienna Airport has developed into one of Central Europe’s most successful hub airports, serving not only Austrian passengers but also, to a significant extent, acting as an important gateway to the world for travellers from Hungary.

Austrian Airlines has traditionally ranked among Europe’s leading network carriers in terms of service quality, connectivity, and operational reliability. Its punctuality performance regularly exceeds the European average, which is particularly important on a journey where multiple connections and different modes of transport are integrated into a single itinerary.

Wizz Air or LOT?

This, of course, would not primarily have been a transport or economic consideration, but rather a symbolic message.

Part of the delegation travelled to Warsaw on a scheduled Wizz Air flight, which can be regarded as a logical choice in itself. Today, Wizz Air is Hungary’s largest airline, one of the most recognisable Hungarian-linked international companies, and a major player in the Central and Eastern European aviation market.

At the same time, this also raises an interesting diplomatic and transport policy question. During the talks in Poland, Transport Minister Dávid Vitézy reportedly raised the possibility of a stronger future return of LOT Polish Airlines to the Hungarian market.

For this reason, it is interesting to consider what message it would have sent had the delegation chosen Poland’s national carrier. In my personal view, under these specific circumstances, selecting LOT would have represented an even stronger diplomatic gesture towards the Polish partner.

The delay that actually reinforced the new government’s message in support of public transport

They encountered the same advantages and the same inconveniences that any other traveller might experience. The credibility of using public transport is often demonstrated precisely through such small details.

The Wizz Air flight was delayed due to an aircraft change. At first glance, this might appear to have been an inconvenient episode. In reality, however, it was precisely this incident that most clearly demonstrated that the delegation had genuinely chosen scheduled transport services and was subject to the same day-to-day operational realities as any other passenger.

What role will the Hungarian government aircraft play in the future?

The question is both legitimate and relevant, because when a country maintains a considerable government aircraft fleet, its utilisation is not merely a governmental or military issue, but an economic one as well.

At the same time, the trip raises another interesting question. What will become of the Airbus A319s and Falcon 7X aircraft operated by the Hungarian Defence Forces if government travel by dedicated aircraft genuinely becomes less frequent in the future?

These aircraft represent considerable value. Their maintenance, crews, and day-to-day operation involve substantial costs.

This naturally raises the question of how these assets could be utilised more effectively. Numerous countries provide examples of workable solutions, where spare capacity within state-operated aircraft fleets is used, either on an ad hoc basis or even on a more regular basis, for civilian charter operations, air ambulance and medical evacuation flights, humanitarian missions, the transportation of sports teams, or other specialised tasks.

The broader message

Based on this trip, it appears that the new government intends to place greater emphasis on the role of scheduled transport services and public mobility, at least in terms of communication and symbolic gestures.

The use of public transport in itself will not solve the challenges facing Hungary’s railways, aviation sector, or transport infrastructure. Nevertheless, it may serve as an important signal, as such gestures and indications also carry significance in transport policy.

Whether this remains a one-off occasion or marks the beginning of a longer-term practice is something that only the months and years ahead will determine.

One thing, however, is certain: sometimes an Austrian Airlines ticket or a Railjet ticket says more about a country’s transport philosophy than a several-hundred-page strategy document drafted superficially and largely out of necessity.

In our next article:

In a separate analysis, we will examine the questions surrounding Hungary Airlines as a cargo carrier, the possible forms of state involvement, and the role it could play within Hungary’s future aviation strategy.

The original article was written in Hungarian. The English version was created with the assistance of AI translation and editorial support.

About the author

Aviation has been a defining part of my professional life for nearly 35 years.

As both an executive and consultant, I have gained extensive insight into the operations of numerous airlines. I have also been involved in the amendment of several bilateral air services agreements concerning the designation of air carriers between states.

In the mid-1990s, I founded the first virtual airline in Central and Eastern Europe specialising in niche and special-purpose aviation services.

I studied international aviation law in Leipzig and earned my Airline Management diploma in Geneva.

www.pakuts.com