Perhaps Malev was once a good airline, but those days were quite a few years ago. I used to travel in J regularly with MA between London and Budapest, and to begin with (2007) the service was efficient and warm, with older experienced staff providing a genuine J service. It started to go downhill rapidly thereafter, almost every flight involved buses at both ends, surly gate attendants and disinterested stewardesses.

It got to the stage where BA in Y from T5/3 outshone MA in J and I've never flown Malev since. Now I get a proper greeting at the gate rather than a boarding pass snatched out of my hands, friendly efficiency on the aircraft and airbridges more often than not. Airlines survive on their product alone, and Malev ceased providing a good product - can't say I am surprised by today's events.