Painful regrets… The Transformation of Ferihegy in Words and Pictures.

Very possibly I am risking my job by broadcasting my pain, but I am unable to keep myself from doing it. I guess any reader would do the same thing if he were to be stripped of his home but still forced to continue living there. This complicated frame of mind is exactly what I feel about to-day’s Ferihegy. There used to be a time when I liked coming to the airport more than going home. When the first fire-arms appeared on the field under the guise of security, I started to worry. What will become of my home? In the past, we had peace, now constant threats. To-day I rarely set foot outside of the tower when we are on duty to avoid having the so-called security services jumping on me from all manner of unexpected corners.
However, this is all nothing compared to what is being done to my “home” in the name of cost-efficient airport operations. On an impulse I decided to record it all in the hope that in a few years’ time this will be but a bad dream. I made a few photos to show you how Ferihegy is turning into “third class”… how we are transitioning from airport to fish-market.

 

 

 

 

But progress shall not stop. The new fish-market is taking shape apace, creating a new cul-de-sac. The orange aircraft is parked where not so long ago aircraft used to taxi. Taking a clue from the success on the other side, a new fish-market was created to serve the rest of the low-fare traffic.

 

Then one day an opportunity arose for me to check out this 21^st century invention. Many thanks to my friend who made this possible and with whom I should be on very bad terms if we followed the trend and accepted relationship standards of our respective departments. But I am not able to behave like that and so we remained true to the old school whose members will never lose their enthusiasm and dedication for aviation.
So, let’s have a look, starting at the beginning to see how passengers move between the terminal and their aircraft. Departing passengers come down to the ramp level via stairs at airbridge 46 to start their long trek of several hundred yards to their aircraft. Arriving passengers use the stairs under the same airbridge to enter the terminal building.