This year’s BUD Cargo Day, held on October 9 at the historic Ferihegy 1 airport terminal, offered a kaleidoscope of current air freight and logistics topics. The event was attended by 305 industry experts, mainly from Eastern and Central Europe, but also from Western Europe, Mexico, and Japan. Top participants were Brandan Sullivan, Global Head Cargo, IATA, and the two TIACA leaders, Steven Polmans and Glyn Hughes. For Polmans, it was his last appearance as TIACA Chairman at an air freight conference, as Roos Bakker will succeed him in this position at the beginning of 2026.
We asked several industry representatives about their motives for attending the cargo event and their views on the outcome of trade show.
Gábor Talabos, accountable manager, Hungary Airlines
We obtained our AOC in DEC2024 from the Hungarian Civil Aviation Authority and started operations with a single A330F in early 2025. In addition to the Airbus freighter, we leased a B747-400F serving routes between China and Budapest. Come November, we will add a B777F to our fleet, the first of five Triple Seven freighters flying on behalf of our airline.
Due to our consistent volume growth, we started to build a bonded warehouse on the agglomeration of Budapest at Vác comprising 33,000 sqm. It has a direct rail link, enabling multimodal transport, because in addition to our four or five cargo flights per week from China to Europe, we are also involved in rail logistics.
To ensure the rapid handling of processes at the future logistics center, 700 robots complemented by automated guided vehicles will be operating there. AGVs and industrial robots can work around the clock, are more precise than humans, and reduce the risk of accidents and, in the medium term, lower handling costs.
What sets Budapest Cargo apart from other airports is the integration of the cargo division into the entire local logistics community, including customs, authorities, freight forwarders, airlines, and shippers. Under the chairmanship of BUD Cargo Director, Jozsef Kossuth, there is a regular, intensive exchange of experiences and opinions. In our view, this is extremely valuable because changes or adjustments to regulatory requirements, for instance tax issues, are tabled there and suitable industrial solutions can be developed proactively together. As a community, we need to know in advance which rules apply, and what the players need to do to comply with them. Conversely, government officials also need to know what we expect, such as transparency in decision-making and strict security checks on air cargo shipments, including eCom.
From this perspective, the annual BUD Cargo Days are a forum where members of the community can contribute and exchange ideas on stage, in panels, or through bilateral discussions. They also offer an opportunity to look beyond the horizon and learn about the new challenges facing the industry in recent times, such as the elimination of de minimis regulations in the US, and what this means for the players involved.
Finally, we are very proud to be awarded the IATA CEIV Lithium Batteries Certification as first European Cargo Airline and congratulate freight forwarders and other representatives of the cargo industry who have received a similar award.
Guillermo Nava Villarreal, Head of Cargo Development & Operations at Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte, OMA
Some colleagues and I flew from Mexico to Hungary in support of our airport Monterrey, which belongs to the Vinci Group, as does Budapest Airport. Our main motive was to talk to our peers to deepen relations and exchange valuable information, for instance with cargo managers of Lyon Airport in France, who are also part of the Vinci Group and decided to attend the BUD Cargo Day as we have done. Talking about information exchange, for us, the human factor plays a key role in just about everything we do. Because we are nothing without the support of our people, which also applies to a close relationship with our customers. Following the positive experiences we have had here, I will advocate for Monterrey to organize similar events at other airports belonging to the global Vinci Group. After all, that includes more than 70 airports operating in 14 countries. What particularly impressed me at Budapest’s Cargo Day was the close cooperation between the airport, particularly its cargo division, and the local cargo community, including customs. I believe that teamwork that is practiced by BUD Cargo became very clear at this trade show which includes transparent communication structures. This is a key takeaway feature we will bring back home to Monterrey as a result of our participation in the BUD Cargo Day.
Kamilla Kasler, Country Manager Hungary, Lufthansa Cargo
I have been with Lufthansa Cargo since 1994 and in comparison, to other places, I must say that Budapest is a very cargo-minded airport. This is not least thanks to Jozsef Kossuth, BUD cargo’s helmsman and his team, who we believe are doing a fantastic job day in, day out. It is also worth mentioning that the ground infrastructure of BUD’s Cargo City is state-of-the art and as an airline we are supported whenever support is needed. This includes trucking solutions because roughly 95% of all exports we generate in Hungary are trucked to either Munich or Frankfurt to be flown to their final destination from there by the Lufthansa fleet either as belly or main deck cargo.
My personal preferred topic is sustainability, where Lufthansa Cargo has been playing in the top league of airlines for some time now. To this end, we specifically target our freight forwarding customers and, together with them, we speak with the shippers of goods. However, we never contact producers directly, but always in combination with a freight forwarding partner. As an airline, we can only offer airport-to-airport solutions, including ground handling, customs clearance, and packaging. But we do not handle the pre- or post-carriage of goods, which is the responsibility of our road feeder partners.
Lufthansa Cargo currently has a total of five employees in Hungary. In 2012, there were 12 employees. However, colleagues from Bulgaria and the Benelux countries have gradually taken on work packages as needed so that we can continue to offer our customers the service they require.
Finally, I like to mention an aspect that is important to me, and this is addressed to the BUD Cargo team: Their events are very male dominated, as can be seen in the composition of the panels. I would very much welcome a more balanced gender ratio come BUD Cargo Day 2026 and after.
Attila Becze, Director Sub-Region Hungary and Romania at cargo-partner
Over the years, the event has become increasingly important for the entire air cargo community. Today, it is one of the top formats for the industry not only in Hungary, but for the Central and Eastern European countries and even beyond. This is also reflected in the fact that more and more top managers from the air freight industry are participating, ranging from freight forwarders, airlines, sales agents, airport executives, and leading representatives from the e-commerce sector. This diversity provides an in-depth examination of the current challenges facing international supply chains, as was the case in Budapest. In addition to new risks, such as the abolition of the de minimis rule in the U.S., the opportunities arising from this were also exemplified. So was the gradual shift of supply chains towards the East, especially East and Southeast Asia. This will likely be increased in the coming years, as panelists emphasized on several occasions.
I found it very encouraging to hear that, despite many challenges and bureaucratic hurdles, Europe still has a very strong industrial core on which other countries depend. I also found remarkable that the many Trump tariffs have so far caused only a small dent in global economic growth, as panelists emphasized.
Finally, I like to mention that, in addition to many exciting topics, the BUD Cargo Days always offer participants the opportunity to network. Direct contact and the personal exchange of experiences still are the best foundation for successful business relationships.
