10 Formula One Questions for Peter Pazurek

At Euro Jet, July is not exactly the vacation month as it is our busiest month of the year. Our flights span everything from summer charters to film and music festivals, and even governmental summits. This requires our OCC team to shift into the highest gear in order to keep up as fast as possible with all the flight requests.

And then there are sporting events that take place every year. These are events that we love to support from start to finish. One of them is the Hungarian Grand Prix which occurs at the Budapest Hungaroring from Friday, July 27 to Sunday, July 29, 2018.

Our team on the ground supporting our customer’s flights for this event is our Budapest duo of Peter and Akos – Peter Pazurek is the Country Manager for Hungary and Akos Gotz is the Ground Service Coordinator at Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport.

We asked Peter 10 Questions about the event and what you should know when planning your flight to Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

1. Peter, you have been with Euro Jet since its beginning in 2008, this will be your 10th time supporting the Hungarian GP flights…

Yes, I have actually never taken a day off during the Hungarian Grand Prix. Every year, at the end of July, this is the one weekend that I look forward to the most.

2. How does the new general aviation terminal handle all the traffic?

The general aviation terminal guarantees privacy and a smooth operation but it is not for every flight. We can accommodate up to 35 passenger flights through the general aviation terminal. If there are more than 35 passengers, then the commercial terminal should be used.

3. Is there enough space for overnight parking, or would you recommend to position the aircraft out to another airport?

Repositioning the aircraft is not necessary because we have enough space for planes that will need to stay with us overnight.

4. Are the waiting times for fuel, catering and other services longer during the Hungarian GP?

We try to minimize waiting time for fuel and other services. Regarding refueling and other services related to aircraft handling, it is strongly recommended that this be arranged upon arrival in order to avoid any delayed departure. We can also refuel with passengers on board.

5. Hotels are of course sold out early during the Hungarian Grand Prix. Is there a last minute option?

Yes, there is. We have a very good partnership with our contracted hotels and they can help us to find a solution in the event of last minute bookings. However, I have to admit the prices are higher than the rest of the year.

6. Can you comment on transportation during the Grand Prix?

We have a transportation company that we work with throughout the year. They provide a very reliable service for our crew and passengers going to the Grand Prix. They also have permission to use dedicated roads that allows them direct access to the gates and fast track area.

7. What are the busiest days at the airport during the event? The GP weekend starts on Friday and the main race is on Sunday afternoon, July 29.

The busiest days are Thursday and Sunday, the arrival and departure days.  Most of the flights leave right after the race. So we always make sure to be ready for this traffic. Normally 35-40 general aviation aircraft are set to leave within four hours. It is always a big challenge for us to provide the best possible service which our customers expect.

8. Hungary is part of the Schengen area. Are there any restrictions for aircraft coming in from non-Schengen countries?

Our customers should not expect any restrictions at all. We have more customs and immigration officers on duty during these days. We also have dedicated staff at the general aviation terminal to handle traffic out of Schengen countries.

9. Is there a possibility to rent hangar space?

Unfortunately, no hangar space will be available.

10. Pretending you are a Euro Jet sales person, what would you say are the three biggest advantages to using Euro Jet in Budapest?

First of all, it is our good relationship with selected hotels in Budapest. Despite the fact that prices are high due to this event, we can always provide the best prices for our clients.

Second, we can arrange the best catering, which is delivered on time and also meets the highest standards.

And third, it is definitely our experience.  I personally know, because I have worked on Grand Prix flights more times than I can remember, on the day of departure there are quite a lot of aircraft that want to leave almost at the same time. I have to admit that it is very difficult to cope with this, but we have a strategy on how to keep everything under control. Every crew and its passengers are given special attention to guarantee a smooth operation.

Bonus question: And the usual question – as a Formula 1 fan, who do you prefer to see as the winner in Budapest?

I wouldn’t be surprised if Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix again. He is my favorite driver.