Impasse in Budapest Airport Wage Negotiations Sparks Threat of Strike
“Labour Unrest Looms at Budapest Airport as Wage Negotiations Stall”
Budapest Airport, the operator of Liszt Ferenc International Airport, is currently facing potential labour unrest as negotiations over wage increases for 2025 have come to a halt. Despite the company’s impressive performance in 2024, with a profit of HUF 30 billion (EUR 75 million) in 2023, management has only offered a 4% pay raise to most physical workers.
According to Free Europe, The Airport Workers’ and Service Providers’ Union at Budapest Airport, which is now 80% state-owned, is advocating for a 10% wage increase. The union argues that the proposed 4% raise barely keeps up with the expected inflation rate for 2025.
Budapest Airport’s workforce is divided into different salary categories, with Level I for managers and Levels II and III for physical workers and their supervisors. Specialized teams, including general maintenance, high-voltage system maintenance, navigation systems, and security personnel, make up the airport’s employees.
While Level II and III workers have been offered a 4% raise, employees of the Airport Fuel Service Ltd. have been presented with a 10% increase. However, these workers reportedly earn significantly less than those in Level III positions. Level III salaries currently range from HUF 700,000 to 900,000 gross per month, with bonuses that have remained untouched since 2018.
The union estimates that the proposed 4% wage increase would only cost the company a fraction of its substantial profits. With record-breaking passenger and cargo numbers in 2024 and continued growth in January 2025, workers are showing signs of increasing dissatisfaction. The possibility of a strike has been raised in internal discussions, which would be the first of its kind since 2008.
Following the Hungarian state’s acquisition of Budapest Airport in June 2024, rumours of potential rationalization and layoffs have surfaced. However, sources suggest that certain areas are actually understaffed, with rising passenger numbers adding pressure on workers.
The government’s acquisition of the airport, valued at EUR 3.1 billion, marked a significant premium over previous privatization prices. The situation at Budapest Airport remains uncertain as negotiations continue, and workers consider their next steps in response to the wage offers.
