European Consumer Centres Network TOURISM IN THE HUNGARY. Travelling by plane

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1 European Consumer Centres Network TOURISM IN THE HUNGARY This brochure will provide you with information on tourism in the Hungary. You will find practical advise and important legal information covering the different topics. We have tried to include all the relevant information concerning travel to the Hungary and your stay in the Hungary; however the information provided is not fully detailed on all points and should be viewed as a guide not as a verbatim statement of the law. Travelling by plane - New regulations from the European Union (example: directive 261/2004), and the Montreal Convention, have rengthened the rights of passengers. Here you can find information concerning travelling by plane. Before departure - As a rule, check-in, i.e. ticketing and baggage check-in, starts two hours prior to departure of the flight. It is advisable to arrive at the airport at this time but not later than one hour prior to departure for leaving enough time for every tasks to be done. Check-in counters are available at Terminal 1 as well as the upper departure levels of Terminals 2A and 2B of Ferihegy International Airport. Each passenger should have his/her ticket validated at the counter from where his/her flight departs - Since 6 November 2006 there exist new rules in the EU regarding the hand luggage. Liquids, gels and aerosol s can only be carried in the hand luggage in small amounts (max. 100 ml a piece). This is also for drinks, crèmes, tooth-paste and make-up. If you want to take a small amount of these products in your hand luggage, you have to carry them in a small transparent bag, of max. 1 liter capacity. You can always carry baby food and medicine. - If you have a long delay or stay in Feihegyl Airport, you can go on a tour through Budapest (2, 3, 4 hours). - The Airport is located within the boundary of Budapest, 16 km from the City eastward, alongside Main Road 4. You can go to Ferihegy Airports by train, by taxi, by minibus, by car, by metro and bus. By train Passengers can easily reach Ferihegy Terminal 1 from the Western Railway Station in Budapest. On weekdays 51 and at weekends 38 trains ease the travelling from the city centre to the airport within less than half an hour for 300 HUF. There are 60 trains on weekdays and 45 at weekends from the airport to the city centre. By taxi A new taxi operator started operating from Ferihegy. Zóna taxi offers low prices and high quality level of services. At the same time, pre-ordered taxis can be ordered as usual at the airport. Further details

2 By minibus Similarly to all airports, Budapest Airport also operates a shuttle service called as Airport Minibus. Passengers are taken to the previously requested address by microbuses with eight to eleven seats. By metro and bus Budapest Airport is relatively well accessible also by Public Transportation Means. Passengers are taken by a direct bus service from Terminals 1 and 2, called the Bus 200 to Köbánya-Kispest metro terminal. The new service from BKV adjusts much better to the passenger traffic at the airport: it is larger so bigger luggage can be transported; it operates more frequently; and it operates for longer hours providing a link between the city and the airport even after midnight and at early dawn. Bus 93 operates from Terminal 1 to Kıbánya- Kispest Metro Station. By the 'blue (3) Metro you can reach Deák Ferenc Square in the City in 20 minutes. Public Transportation Means can be used for a fare: the one-way through-ticket costs HUF 230 [260 HUF when buying on the bus from the driver]. For more information about the public transportation of Budapest see By car The Airport is well accessible by car from any point of Budapest. Ferihegy can be reached in 20 minutes from the City by the Ferihegy High-Speed Road. By that high-speed road, separated by string barrier from public traffic, the Airport can be accessed practically unhindered and any obstacle might be expected under extraordinary circumstances only. For those who arrive by car, they offer several parking facilities. - If there is any reason why you are not able to embark on your flight, then you have to inform the airline company or the travel agency as soon as possible. - The transfer of plane tickets is impossible unless the airline company allows for it in its general terms and conditions. Furthermore, you can be asked to pay additional costs for this change. At the time of departure - When an airline company denies boarding on a flight, it first has to call for volunteers that are willing to give up their seat on that flight. If boarding is denied to passengers against their will, the operating air carrier has to immediately compensate you. - If a flight is cancelled the passenger has to get assistance (re-imbursement / re-routing, care like drinks and food and compensation). This is not applicable if the air company informed about the cancellation on time or when the cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances (force majeure). - There is also a possibility to get compensation for a delay, depending on the time that the flight was delayed.

3 Situation < 1500 KM KM >3500 KM Exceptions Overbooking or re-routing, compensation of 250 or 50 % if less than 2 hours delay, and drinks, food, telephone and hotel compensation 400 or 50 % if less than 3 hours delay, and drinks food, telephone compensation 600 or 50 % if less than 4 hours delay, and drinks food, telephone - If there is a right to compensation must be paid within 7 days. The payment can be made in cash, by credit transfer or cheque. A voucher refund can be made only with your written agreement. Delay Cancellation 2 hours: food and drinks and 2 free calls/fax/ s reimbursement or re-routing, compensation of 250 or 50 % if less than 2 hours delay, and Drinks, food, telephone and hotel 3 hours: food and drinks and 2 free calls/fax/ s compensation 400 or 400 or 50 % if less than 3 hours delay, and drinks food, telephone and hotel 4 hours: food and drinks and 2 free calls/fax/ s compensation 600 or 50 % if less than 4 hours delay, and drinks food, telephone If more than 5 hours delay: in some cases reimbursement No compensation if the Airline informed on time that the flight would be cancelled (depending on the situation)

4 Baggage - Baggage check-in Baggage can be checked in at the check-in counter after ticketing. Each baggage to be checked in should be provided with a name label available at the ticket collector. In order to check in your baggage in a safer way, foiling of baggage is available for a charge in the passenger hall. Generally, the maximum allowable weight of your luggage is 20 kg, but you should check with your specific airline beforehand. If the permitted weight is exceeded, a surcharge should be paid by each kilogram in excess. The measure of overweight is determined and written on the ticket by the ticket collector. The boarding card will be issued only when the passenger has paid up the surcharge at airlines or for the ticketing company. Baggage is provided with the necessary marking by the ticket collector when checked in. Baggage that cannot be let down on the baggage conveyer (e.g. sport equipment, babycarriages, musical instruments etc.) will be taken to the aircraft by the loading employees. Baggage checked in is exposed also to security check. If the security service finds such an item at screening which requires more thorough examination, the owner of the baggage will be escorted back to the checking point or will be asked to open the baggage. The content of the baggage will be checked in the passenger s presence. - Hand baggage Ticket collectors have competence to determine which baggage may qualify as hand baggage, i.e. may be brought on board of the aircraft. As a rule, the acknowledged size of a hand baggage is 115 cm (e.g. 23x41x51 cm) and its weight is 3 to 5 kg, however, such rules may vary by airlines. If a hand baggage is too big or overweight, it should be checked in together with the other baggage checked in. It is advisable to pack sharp metal items (scissors, pocketknives, etc.) in the baggage as these are not allowed on board. Only baggage checked by ticket collectors and provided with a cabin label may be taken on board as hand baggage. It is advisable to pack things useful during journey, such as books, medicines or handkerchiefs, as hand baggage. - Special items Musical instruments of big size, i.e. bigger than hand baggage, are admitted on board only if a separate ticket is purchased for them as they need to be placed on a separate seat. At ticketing Baby carriage, wheel-chairs will be provided with a special baggage label which may be used as far as the aircraft's door. They will be taken from the door down to the baggage space and then, at arrival, they will be brought from there to the aircraft s door by loaders. Transport of animals is rather limited. Inquire about details at the representation of the relevant airlines. - In case of delay, if you suffer additional damages, articles 19 and 22 of the Montreal Convention of June 28 th 2004 allow a right to compensation. The compensation for damages suffered by passengers is though, limited to 4150 special drawing rights (SDR), about 4900 (1SDR=1,18 ). - In case of the loss or delay of luggage, you have to report it first to the baggage service at the airport and fill in a

5 complaint form. If the luggage is found, the company has an obligation to deliver it to the address mentioned on the complaint form and should do this without charging any fee. If because of the delay in delivery, you have extra expenses (you were obliged to buy clothes, basic necessities, etc..) the carrier would have to pay you compensation of up to a maximum of 1000 SDR. However, you have to be able to prove the damage. Therefore remember to keep receipts and invoices. - Your request for compensation must be sent to the airline at the latest 21 days following the recovery of the luggage. Special needs - Handicapped passengers Handicapped passengers or those moving with difficulty may apply for a wheel-chair to be provided by the airport help service. If you need such service, it is practicable to report it as early as when purchasing your ticket, enabling the ground passenger service staff to await you at ticketing wellprepared. However, you may also use your own wheel-chair till boarding if you wish to dispatch it as a baggage. Nevertheless, you can board the craft only with the help of a special wheel-chair. Handicapped passengers have priority upon boarding. Of course, a wheel-chair may be requested also at arrival. In this case the staff at destination will be aware of your such need and will assist you. A wheel-chair is not included in the free baggage limit, i.e. it is transported free of charge, and the airport s help service may also be used free. The acid accumulators of electric wheel-chairs should be removed from it and placed in a special (acid-resistant) box to be provided by the airlines. If it is not able to provide such a box, the accumulator should be left on the wheel-chair to be fixed in the aircraft s load space in a standing position. Children travelling alone Children of age 6 to 12 years may travel as Unaccompanied Minors (UM). This intention should be reported at booking and the airlines will provide detailed information on the costs of this service. The lower and upper age limit might vary by airlines. Children are guided and assisted by ground and air stewardesses during journey. Parents (relatives) may accompany the child to ticketing where an UM form should be completed for the journey. The form should indicate the following information: the particulars and contact data (phone number) of the person(s) assisting the child at departure (normally the parent(s)), the particulars of the child(ren), the route, the particulars of the person who receives the child(ren) at destination. After ticketing, the child(ren) will be escorted by a ground stewardess to the boarding gate, guided to the board, and handed over to the air stewardess. The parent (relative) assisting at departure should wait until the craft takes off. Upon arrival, the child is awaited at the aircraft s door, escorted through passport control, assisted in handing over baggage, and handed over to the person indicated on the UM form, who should certify his/her identity. Attention! It is a strict rule that the child should not be handed over to any other person. Both ground and air stewardesses pay distinguished care of children travelling as UMs.

6 Travelling with a baby Children under the age of 2 years may travel only with their parent(s) (escort(s)). They do not need a separate seat so their ticket is discounted. Parents may use the baby-carriage until boarding if it is carried with them. You may apply for a cradle (on certain craft types) and special food for the baby. If you, as a foreign consumer, are feeling mistreated by a Hungarian professional, the European Consumer Centres (ECC s) will be pleased to help you find an amicable settlement of the dispute. You can find further information and a complete list of all ECC s under: network_centers.pdf European Consumer Centre Hungary H-1012 Budapest, Logodi u HUNGARY tel: , fax: info@efk.hu