On the morning of June 27th, China Southern Airlines flight CZ649 landed at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport with 213 passengers on board and received a greeting in the form of water cannon salute.
The Hungarians were enthusiastic about the new Guangzhou-Budapest direct flight. François Berisot, CEO of Budapest Airport Zrt., while addressing the welcoming ceremony, stated that Guangzhou has always played a significant role in the international commerce and remains one of China's most important economic hubs. It attracts business people and investors from all over the world. Guangdong province, where the city is located, contributes 10% to the country's GDP, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao region is one of the world's largest hubs for research and development in information technology and renewable energy.
"The Guangzhou-Budapest route means that we are just a direct flight away from this business hub. This opens up countless new opportunities for the Hungarian national economy and business travelers," said Berisot.
Bence Paulino is a Hungarian student studying in Singapore. After graduation, he traveled to various Southeast Asian countries and took the first direct flight from Guangzhou to Budapest after traveling from Vietnam to Guangzhou.
Paulino told GDToday that he always had layovers from Southeast Asia to Hungary, but most of the time, he had to take two layovers with three flights in total. "Actually, this is the first time I can take two flights and return straight to Hungary. This is one of the fastest flights I've taken so far," said Paulino.
A Guangdong-style lion dance team was invited to perform during the welcoming ceremony. One of the performers, Horváth Szabolcs, told GDToday that he had been practicing lion dancing in Hungary for over ten years, and his Hungarian shifu went to study lion dancing in Guangdong for two months in 2013.
"Unfortunately, I have not been to Guangdong. I would like to go on a trip and spend some time there. The direct flight would greatly help," said Szabolcs.
Reporters: Hu Nan and Qin Shaolong from Budapest, Hungary
Editors: Olivia, James
