Malev to join "Wings" alliance with KLM, Northwest
 

Malev to join "Wings" alliance with KLM, Northwest

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/000039.html

Does anybody think the "Wings Alliance" will every formally takeoff? Will it include Continental? CO really needs some international partners other than NW.

I am thankful for any new partner, but this is hardly a substitute for Alitalia.

Malev would be a good partner for Continental after the loss of CSA Czech Airlines. Concerns with Malev include their viability as a going concern and their lower standards of service.

I am still hoping that Continental can finally reach a codesharing/lounge/frequent flyer agreement with Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij NV.

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For the uninitiated, here's some info on

KONINKLIJKE LUCHTVAART MAATSCHAPPIJ N.V.

www.investorrrelations.klm.com

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

What a shame. I will definately stop flying on NW/KLM if Malev joins. They are known for crappy planes, substandard service that even Hungarians aviod flying and rude service by ground personal in Budapest. AVOID this airline !!!

Unless your travels take you to Budapest, I don't think you have to worry about flying Malev.

If you're going to stop flying NW/KL because of a little codeshare partner from AMS to BUD, I think you're overreacting!

Yes PARSpro, I do often fly AMS to BUD on KLM, hence my strong stance anainst Malev. Otherwise it would not effect my choice of air carriers. Now I must choose flights and times and carriers that AVOID Malev. Consider yourself fortunate if you have not experienced the service and attitude of some (most) Malev personnel. Customer service has never been a concern at Malev.

Northwest Airlines and Malev Hungarian Airlines Form Code-Share and Frequent Flyer Program Agreement

Partnership Also Includes Airport Club Access for WorldClub Members At Ferihegy Airport in Budapest

Northwest Airlines and Malev Hungarian Airlines announced today they have signed a code-share and frequent flyer program agreement. The agreement becomes effective immediately.

Northwest's partnership with the European carrier will improve travel benefits between Northwest's 214 cities in North America and Malev's 38 European markets via convenient connections at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport and Budapest's Ferihegy Airport.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011115/mnth016_2.html

hey, maybe Malev is short for "Malevolent" http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I read somewhere that they retired all their old Soviet aircraft awhile ago. maybe it's not so bad now?

by the way, how do you say "Ferihegy?"

Having lived on the west side of Romania from 1992 to 2000, and using Bud as my exit and entry city, I feel like I'm at least a little familar with Malev. I still fly into bud 5 or 6 times a year using KL metal. Up into April of this year, KL had three flights a day into bud and malev operated twice daily bud>ams. In April, KL and Malev began to code share their flights between bud and ams. KL cancelled their 6:45 a.m. flight and kept flights 1372 and 1378. Malev still operates two flights a day fl.3200 and the second I forget the #, but it leaves bud at around 5:30 p.m.. Almost always KL flys a 733 or 734 on thier ams>bud flights. On the other hand (although I haven't flown nearly as much with Malev) every time I have flown with Malev bud>ams it has been on 733 metal. Malev has several 732 hanging around the airport, but I have never seen them used on this route. Now as far as some of the things that were talked about in this topic. I'm not sure that Malev has stopped altogether using the Russian planes (or maybe they have done it very recently). They are all around the airport, and I have definately seem them at the gates this past year. As far as the lounge is concerned, you don't need a WC membership to get in. I'm nw plat, my wife is gold and my daughter is silver and we have several times just walked in and flashed our cards (flying y class). The lounge is nothing to have dreams about however. Now for my idea about the service. The culture in Hungary is quite different than ours as they have been through quite a different history. So in general they are not as "sweet" at the gate as maybe we are accustomed to here in the States. Try Tarom in Bucharest or Aeroflot in Moscow, and you will feel quite good about the Malev counter personal working in Bud. The food I have felt is equal to KL and beats NW anyday (which isn't hard to do). The Malev flight attendants have always been very friendly on the flights that I have taken with them. My worst deal with Malev came shortly after they started code sharing with KL earlier this year. I buy my tickets in Bud and they are always KL paper. KL had cancelled their early out flight and stuck me on Kl 3200 which is Mal metal. Even though I had a KL ticket with a KL flight #, NW did not give miles for this flight and I lost out. I assume that this will all change change now. If it does, things will be much more flexable, and easier to get in and out of Bud on award tickets. Buy the way, for those of you who haven't been to Budapest, it is a really beautiful city!