Premier Orban had championed the hub’s acquisition for years
Deal is likely first step in Hungary’s push to expand airport
The Hungarian state and France’s VINCI have purchased the operator of Budapest Airport in a 4.3 billion euro deal. The buyers paid 3.1 billion euros for the airport and assumed a net debt of 1.2 billion euros, according to a government statement. VINCI will hold a 20% stake in the airport operator and be responsible for its management. The development is notable, considering VINCI also operates Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, some 360 kilometres south of Ferenc Liszt International Airport. “VINCI Airports will manage and deploy its model, which aims to improve the customer experience and support traffic growth through appropriate investment. An ambitious action plan will also be rolled out to achieve net zero emissions by 2030. Through this acquisition, VINCI Airports, which has operations in Portugal, the United Kingdom, France, and Serbia, is reinforcing its network in Europe, which now covers 26 platforms handling nearly 154 million passengers in 2023”, the French airport operator said in a statement. The Belgrade Airport concession tender in 2018 was not open to holders of a 20% or larger stake in any airport within a 450-kilometre radius of Belgrade. VINCI holds a 25-year concession of Belgrade Airport, which was recently extended by a year and a half to compensate for the period of reduced traffic and revenue during the coronavirus pandemic.
In 2023, the airport handled a record cargo volume of 200,000 tons while passenger traffic reached 91% of pre-pandemic levels.
In the first quarter of the year, the Hungarian capital airport handled 61,940 tons of cargo, an increase of almost 40% compared to the same period last year.
Budapest Airport has invested €80m in cargo development over the past five years, creating the BUD Cargo City.
The latest development phase of the complex, which represents a 40% increase in handling capacity, was opened for business at the beginning of the year.
This brings the total warehouse and office space to more than 40,000 sq m and the covered storage area to 1500 sq m, allowing for the handling of special goods, such as temperature-sensitive products or live animals.
It brings the total air cargo handling capacity of the airport to 300,000 tons a year.
The next phase of development, conceptual design and other preparatory works are expected to start this year.
