Malev Hungary
I haven't flown them yet. I intend to in October. But I wanted to tell you that it was very difficult for me to get a one way fare on the website. (Budapest to Krakow)
They have a toll free number and they have special prices on one way fares that are not listed on the website and available by calling. The one way fares are offered from now until the end of the year.
They charge in US dollars and issue e-tickets over the phone. I did find one ways on Cheapoair, but Malev phone prices were better.
It made the decision after Malév's current majority owner AirBridge (49% of which is owned by the Russian bank) failed to fulfil conditions set out of the 2007 privatisation agreement. This, however, only means the beginning of the process and it seems that much depends on the negotiations between VEB and the Hungarian state. As Vneshekonombank is essentially the state-owned development bank of Russia, the negotiations are in truth between the two countries.
After the six-month debate about the future of the airline was once again postponed last Tuesday to an EGM on 26 February, conflicting reports surfaced on what role the Hungarian state will play in the "new" Malév. The one thing that seems to have been agreed is that the two parties will not allow the airline to go bankrupt. The Russians – as Malév's biggest financier – have tens of millions of euros invested and Hungary would also lose a lot of money both directly and indirectly.
The post-meeting announcement of the National Asset Management Council suggests that a likely scenario could be that the Hungarian state will get the bank guarantee, but immediately hand it over to Malév (it is authorised by parliament to do so for figures of up to about EUR 70 million), which will begin repaying its debt toward the Russian bank.
Other reports imply that the Russians requested that the Hungarian party waive its right to the bank guarantee and promise that VEB will get back all the money that it loaned. Along with denying the request, the Hungarian delegation noted that a 12% rate on the euro loan is the majority source of Malév's debts.
According to CEO Miklós Kamarás, the State Asset Manager will wait two weeks for the Russian bank to approve the transaction of the loan guarantee and will take the necessary legal steps afterward. "Two weeks will hopefully be enough for Hungary and Russia to reach an agreement about the capital situation of Malév," Kamarás told news agency MTI, adding that the airline's long-term financing can only be solved by
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