Malev Hungarian Airlines

Pros: We made it in one piece.
Cons: Several safety violations

First of all I am extremely happy to see that this airline has at last been added to the database at epinions.com. Although many people are not familiar with this airline, which is the airline of Hungary, it is important as a traveler that you know more...

Pros: Professional and happy crew; planes are immaculate
Cons: Boarding sometimes uses a bus at JFK

Having spent considerable time in Eastern Europe, I have had to fly Malev, the national carrier of Hungary, many times. The airline has never ceased to impress me.

It may be because Hungarians flew so infrequently compared to Americans or just...

Pros: Great service, good food, no crowds at Budapest Airport, clean, friendly
Cons: Hard to find ticket office in US, few good English speakers among crew

If you need a direct flight from the US to Budapest, the only choice you have is Malev. Malev's New ...

Pros: Clean equipment, friendly staff
Cons: Amsterdam - need I say any more.

I recently took a trip to Romania this past summer and booked my flight with NWA which I am a frequent flier of. I was told that I would connect in Amsterdam to some airline named Malev Hungarian Airlines. Never had I heard of such an airline and was a ...

Pros: Good connections.
Cons: Do not care about their passengers,but love their money!!!

Do not use Malev. My friends flight from Skopje to Budapest was due on 19th august. Since the airline overbooked the flight, many passengers could not leave that day, and the ones who left, left with 4 hours delay. Among the ones who had to catch the ...

Pros: great option for trans-European routes.
Cons: none, really.

Very good airline. The aging fleet of Tupolevs and Ilyushins has been replaced with newer Beoings and Airbuses, but in some few cases, with older Boeings. Some Tupolevs are still used on charter flights from Budapest to holiday destinations. Still,...

Pros: Very roomy, good service, Punctual, nice plane Boeing 737 700. Friendly.
Cons: Cant check your bags in at Budapest until 2 hours before flight

Flew return from Dublin to Budapest Jan 2005. Read a few reviews as I'm very interested in flying. I have to say I was very impressed with Malev. Flight was pushed out on the minute, and ten minutes early into Budapest. Similar punctuality coming back. Im a big build and I found the seats comfortable and plenty of leg room. On a par with Thai International. Food was much better than most airlines. Flight crew very pleasant. I have flown with many airlines the top three being Thai International, narrowly followed by Malev and Aer Lingus.

Pros: Good & efficient all the way through
Cons: When flying from Europe, it can't compete with price of budget airlines.

I don't know about Malev's long-haul flights, but in 2001 I flew round-trip from London to Budapest with Malev. (This was right before the budget airlines started flying to Budapest). I had a good experience all the way through (reservations, check-in, baggage claim, service, good food for an airline, flights all on time).

If it wasn't for all the wonderful cheapy budget airlines that fly there now, I'd definitely go with them again...

Pros: Good food Non-stop between JFK-Budapest
Cons: Broken entertainment equipment Indifferent crew

Flew Malev from Budapest to JFK in 1/05. The airport in Hungary is new with adequate shopping and dining options.

Boarding was a bit disorganized because they did not do it by row number and people just massed at the gate rather than lining up to board.

The plane was clean enough, although the crew seemed indifferent and did not smile.

The food was very good -- better than most airlines and the portions were adequate. The crew came around frequently with drinks.

The main problem was that there was a wiring problem so the center and left sections from midway back had no power to their seats. That meant that a. you couldn't listen to music; b. you couldn't watch the movies; c. you couldn't turn on your overhead light and read; d. you couldn't ring for a flight attendant;

You could, however sit in darkness and recall that it was a wiring problem with the entertainment system that brought down that Swissair flight off Canada a few years ago.

The FA didn't speak enough English to explain the problem to me (fortunately a passenger across the aisle was able to translate for me).

Pros: they feed you unlike aer lingus
Cons: the meal costs you an extra 200 euro over aer lingus

ive flown to budapest from dublin a few times with malev and the one thing that sticks out about them is they are extremley expensive , they are in or around 3 times the price of aer lingus for a return trip to budapest from dublin and 4 times the price for a one way trip

Pros: Unless I can get on my requested flight there are none.
Cons: very bad customer care; cancellation and changes to schedule; no response from head office

I have booked to travel with this airline in December. Now they have cancelled my flight and instead of putting me on the next available flight they want me to travel many hours later which only leaves a small amount of time to get my connection. When I ask customer services why I can't be put onto the next available flight I have been told several different stories, none of which are true. NEVER TRAVEL WITH MALEV. They also have very poor customer services.

Pros: food served in all flights excellent leg room i
Cons: indifferent crews budapest airport can become rather busy

I frequently fly MALEV for business and pleasure and find them consistently better than Austrian and 100 times better than Alitalia.

On every flight you are served food and drinks and the cost of tickets are generally very reasonable.

Also the first 6-8 rows on Malev are in a business configaration so try to get one of these when checking in as they offer more privacy and much more leg room

Pros: Lots of leg room, Comfortable seats, I fell asleep!!
Cons: Nothing to complain about.

I flew this airline inside Europe from Sweden's Arlanda Airport to Split Croatia with a connection in Budapest.

The leg room was excellent and the seats were all leather. These are the most comfortable coach seats I have ever flown!! I fell asleep on every leg of my flight both directions with no pillow. It is very rare that I can ever sleep on planes.

The food was very good.... for an airline.

They seem to be making a concerted effort to polish their previous image, they constantly remind you in their literature and in flight videos that they have the youngest Boeing fleet in Europe. Their flight crews also wear very snazzy outfits. I love listening to the Hungarian Language (Magyar). It has a wonderful sound.