Malev sees spike in online bookings

Malev Hungarian Airlines has experienced a spike in the number of passengers who book their tickets on the national carrier’s website and as a consequence has seen its internet-based revenues jump by an impressive 36% over the course of 2007. The vast majority of Malev tickets purchased online were bought by passengers travelling from Hungary, but the number of clients reserving their airfare via the internet also increased in the United Kingdom and Ireland, followed by Germany, Denmark and Sweden. Malev has recently launched an online competition (entitled “eMalev”) which aims encourage more passengers to book their tickets online, in an effort to counteract stagnation in traffic figures usually experienced during the slow first three months of the year. Winners of the competition are awarded free getaway spa and vacation packages in Budapest. Malev, which the Hungarian government privatized last year, prides itself on offering competitive rates, but maintaining the highest possible quality of in-flight service. This essentially means that Malev rates often have to be lower than those charged by other full-service European carriers, and their level of service must exceed passenger expectations. All passengers are offered complimentary meals, free newspapers, pre-allocated seats and direct flights to the primary airports of most major European cities. The Budapest London route is among the most popular and Malev offers five flights between the two capitals each day for £110, inclusive of all taxes and surcharges. Malev is also partnered with British Airways, which means that passengers can collect bonus and status miles with either carrier.

www.malev.hu