It is important for Budapest Airport that the employees of the BUD group should be able to count on the company even in difficult economic circumstances, which is why the airport operator increased the salaries of its employees by an average of 13 percent last March and by 10 percent in October, in an extraordinary procedure, bringing the 2023 wage increase forward.
Part of this year’s wage increase was thus already introduced last fall, and the employer, taking into account the current economic circumstances, implemented the second instalment of the wage increase in March this year, raising wages by a further 7 percent. The employees of the BUD group will thus take home more than 17 percent more on average than last fall, and the company has increased basic wages by an average of more than 30 percent in a year.
Budapest Airport implemented two significant wage increases last year, in response to soaring inflation and the difficult economic conditions. In March, the wages of BUD group employees increased by an average of 13 percent (15 percent in some positions) and by a further 10 percent in October, with a part of the 2023 wage increase being brought forward. With a part of the 2023 wage increase being brought forward, Budapest Airport employees received increased salaries earlier than usual, thus supporting their livelihoods, and in March this year, the airport operator implemented the second part of the 2023 was increase. Together with the additional 7 per cent pay rise provided with March salaries, the wages of employees at Budapest Airport, RÜK Kft. and BUD Security Kft. increased by more than 17 per cent in six months and more than 30 per cent in a year, on average.
The amount of the Christmas bonus and the loyalty bonus have also increased. The allowance for staff commuting to work by car from outside Budapest is rising to 20 HUF/km from March, while employees from Budapest will continue to be entitled to a gross monthly travel allowance of 14 286 HUF gross, the net amount of which is equal to the price of a monthly public transport pass. For staff commuting from outside the city by train or bus, 86% of the fare is reimbursed, in line with legal provisions.
Budapest Airport also wants to support families, so in the case of paternity leave, where the father is entitled to ten working days of leave upon the birth of a child, but only 40% of the absentee pay is due after five days, the airport supplements the allowance to 100%.
Zsuzsa Zahorán-Pirisi, the chief human resources officer of Budapest Airport, emphasized: “We recently received great recognition; Budapest Airport was named the best airport in Europe among airports with 15-25 million passengers, which would not have been possible without the dedicated work of BUD group employees. Even though 2022 was the third year impacted by the downturn caused by the global pandemic and full recovery is still to come, it is important for us that our employees feel that Budapest Airport is grateful for their work and understands the difficulties they face every day, due to the increased prices. We are doing everything we can to support them in this difficult situation, and I am proud that with our current wage offer, we have managed to provide an outstanding wage increase. The supportive atmosphere characteristic of the company further reinforces the stability we offer them as an employer.”
