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Magavia Hungarian Airlines

IATA: MG | ICAO: MAG | CALLSIGN: MAGAVIA

Hub/Headquarters: Budapest (BUD)

Magavia is Hungary's national airline operating a modern fleet of Boeing 737 and Boeing 787 aircraft from its hub in Budapest alongside a number of regional jets.

Founded in the 1950s as Magyar Aviatika Vállalat (Hungarian Aviation Corporation), the airline started operations with a fleet of old DC-3 and IL-14 piston-engined aircraft before eventually receiving newer turboprop types in the 1960s. As larger aircraft were introduced, Magavia's operations became focused on international services rather than domestic operations and eventually built its operating base at Budapest into a significant international hub.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Magavia continued to expand and serve more international destinations with its fleet of Tupolev jet airliners. When the communist/socialist government fell at the end of the 1980s, the airline had to adapt quickly to hold its own against other competing carriers who launched services to Hungary. Although the airline replaced most of its Russian-built fleet with more efficient Western-buit types, a few of the Tupolev jets were retained until the late 1990s.

In the early 2000s, Magavia continued to solidify its position as one of the major connecting carriers in Central Europe and expanded its network with additional long haul services to North America and Asia. The airline renewed its fleet with the latest Boeing aircraft and eventually became a proud member of the Unitedwings alliance.