Malév flight suspension - advice for customers

oneworld airlines are outlining the steps they are taking to assist customers affected by Malév Hungarian Airlines' suspension of all services today.

Malév has advised the following arrangements are in place for customers with bookings on its flights:  "According to the government regulation which entered into force on 31 January 2012, assistance can be provided to those passengers who purchased their valid tickets before Malév ceased and whose travel dates are on the suspension day or on the following three calendar days.  In addition, to those who already travelled to their destination on the suspension day or before and possess valid return tickets on Malév flights on a date not later than 29 February 2012. Those who are entitled are going to have assistance from Malév by rerouting their tickets to other flights or other modes of transportation."

Malév has issued the following telephone numbers for customers:

• Hungary            06-40-21-21-21
• Overseas          +36-1-802-11-11

Or see malev.com

Two other oneworld members serve its Hungary home, with British Airways and Finnair both operating to Budapest, from their London Heathrow and Helsinki hubs respectively, with airberlin launching flights to the Hungarian capital from its Berlin base from Monday (6 February).

Passengers booked before today on code-share flights carrying the BA, AY (Finnair), JL (Japan Airlines) or AB (member elect airberlin) codes but which were to be operated by Malév are being offered alternative travel arrangements, or refunds in line with their regular fare rules.

Passengers booked before today to fly on Malév code-share flights (ie, with an MA code) operated by British Airways, Finnair or airberlin to Budapest are being offered assistance for travel on British Airways, Finnair or airberlin, subject to availability.

British Airways is also offering Malév passengers stranded away from home by the airline's suspension of services special repatriation fares.  airberlin is also offering Malév passengers special fares on its new Berlin-Budapest route.

For details, see ba.com, finnair.com and airberlin.com

Most oneworld member airlines are also offering to rebook customers with a connecting sector on Malév onto alternative carriers for that connecting sector, where possible.  For details, see each individual airline's website or contact their reservations centres.

Malév suspended its operations with effect from 0500 GMT today (Friday, 3 February) until further notice.

The company said it took this step with its financial position "untenable" following the recent decision by the European Commission requiring it to repay government loans ruled as contravening state aid regulations and after being placed yesterday under special government supervision, which is similar to court protected restructuring procedures in various other countries.

All but five of the 53 destinations on Malév's network are served by other airlines in oneworld.  The exceptions are Bosnia-Herzegovina's Sarajevo, Montenegro's Podgorica, Romania's Cluj-Napoca and Tirgu Mures and Ukraine's Odessa.