Here’s a twist in the aviation tale: LOT Polish Airlines, in a dramatic pivot, is pulling the plug on its last long-haul adventure from Budapest, marking the end of its fifth freedom flights that didn’t involve its home base. Someone please pour one out for the Budapest to Seoul Incheon route.
LOT Polish Airlines cuts Budapest to Seoul Incheon route
LOT Polish Airlines, whose HQ is — wait for it — in Poland, dived into a bold experiment a few years ago by launching long-haul flights from Hungary. Malév Hungarian Airlines folded back in 2012, leaving a national carrier-shaped hole in the market, one LOT was more than eager to explore. Clearly, they saw some untapped potential.
Remember in 2018 when LOT started flights from Budapest to Chicago, Newark, and New York? Those routes were supposed to ride high on the demand and make everyone happy. And in 2019, they decided to swing for the fences, adding a flight to Seoul Incheon. Ambitious, right?
Fast forward to today—those shiny US routes have bitten the dust. The Seoul flight was the last survivor, operating a skinny two times a week, but alas, it too faces the axe as of March 26, 2025. LOT’s calling it a “temporary suspension,” but let’s be real, when something vanishes from the schedule, it’s as good as gone.
What’s next for LOT? They’re going to park the Budapest dreams and boost their Seoul Incheon frequency from Warsaw, jumping from four to six times a week. A strategic retreat? Or just good old-fashioned consolidation?
To cut them some slack, Budapest to Seoul Incheon was already a battleground courtesy of Korean Air’s thrice-weekly flights since late 2022. A little too much competition for comfort, perhaps.
European Union airlines don’t use Open Skies much
Back in 2008, the European Union launched an Open Skies free-for-all with the United States. It was a game-changer back then, with everyone thinking this would transform aviation. It essentially meant EU airlines could fly long-haul from any EU burg to another Open Skies nation without all the red tape.
Initially, airlines were chomping at the bit. Remember Air France running nonstop between Los Angeles and London? How about British Airways’ brainchild, OpenSkies, which operated between Newark and Paris? Yeah, short-lived, but at least they dared to dream.
Now, not much remains of that brave new world. Sure, Aer Lingus flirts with transatlantic flights out of Manchester (even if the UK has brexited from the EU), and you’ve got a slew of non-European airlines staking fifth freedom claims in Europe. Think Singapore Airlines jetting from Frankfurt to New York or Emirates navigating the skies from Athens and Milan to New York.
The whole free-market fantasy? It’s popped up mostly on short-haul routes where low-cost carriers reign with freewheeling delight.
Frankly, it isn’t shocking that the long-haul scene hasn’t seen fireworks. It’s tough to turn a profit, and big hubs brimming with shimmering connecting traffic make the world go ’round. Still, you’d think lower labor costs across various EU countries could entice more risk-taking, no?
But those plans didn’t exactly take off. It’s a rough landscape for airlines trying to stay afloat, and there’s a lot to be said for the might of big hubs with major passenger flow.
Bottom line
LOT Polish Airlines is axing the Budapest to Seoul Incheon route come March 2025, closing out its last non-Polish long-haul flight. At one point, noble LOT flew four long-haul routes from Hungary, cashing in on that EU Open Skies policy. RIP to that bold chapter as LOT hunkers down on its Warsaw operations, leaving behind a once-promising narrative.
What’s your take on LOT’s decision to back out of Budapest’s long-haul flights?
Meanwhile, while pondering these shifts in flight paths, why not plan a trip to the stunning Val Seny ski resort for a change of scenery?