Budapest Airport and online travel tech company Kiwi.com have officially announced their joint initiative to transform transfer traffic through Hungary’s capital city gateway. The product, called ‘bud:connects’, is expected to bring about smooth and efficient travel for transferring passengers.
Close to 110,000 passengers self-connected at the airport in the last 12 months, which is expected to double in the next three years. Building on this, bud:connects has been launched to deliver a hassle-free and seamless experience for all customers flying with two or more unconnected airlines. As passengers move away from traditional booking practices, creating their own itineraries and transfers, the partnership with Kiwi.com ensures that Budapest is at the forefront of the growing trend.
“Our desire is to do everything we can to ensure each and every one of our self-connect passengers has the smoothest journey through our airport,” explains Kam Jandu, CCO, Budapest Airport. “Partnering with Kiwi.com is a key element which has seen us create an innovative service in the region. With competitive journey times we are already seeing an improved passenger journey – results which will help secure future bookings. As this method of travel becomes more popular, we’d encourage other airports to invest in the self-transfer market.”
Bud:connects offers a ‘SmartPass’ service which includes the use of priority security lanes for all passengers self-connecting with less than three hours connecting time and checked luggage.
“We are proud to cooperate with Budapest Airport and its bud:connects transfer product,” says Zdenek Komenda, CBDO at Kiwi.com. “Bringing together Kiwi.com virtual interlining technology and state-of-the-art onsite transfer assistance provided by the bud:connects staff not only enhances passenger experience for our Kiwi.com customers, but also improves connectivity through Budapest airport overall.”
Customers travelling with Kiwi.com and needing information or having disruptions on their trip – such as missed connection due to the delayed first flight — should approach one of the two ‘bud:connects’ desks powered by Kiwi.com at the airport (terminals 2A and 2B) to be assisted immediately by specially trained on Virtual Interlining and Kiwi.com Guarantee agents. This way, the passengers will have a faster and smoother transfer which will ultimately bring an increase to the number of possible connections via Budapest Airport.
