Maryam Rad gets interviewed at Ningbo Lishe International Airport. [Photo by Yang Hui/Ningbo Evening News]

Flight FM898 from Budapest landed at Ningbo Lishe International Airport at 1:28 pm on Jan 13, marking the fourth direct flight from Hungary to Ningbo this year.

For many international passengers eager to begin their travels early in the new year, Ningbo became the starting point of their 2026 journey through China.

Among the arrivals was Hungarian business traveler Gergely Pinter, visiting Ningbo for the first time. He works in machinery manufacturing and oversees a coastal development project across 18 countries. Pinter said the convenience of direct flights made Ningbo an ideal hub for coordinating international meetings and production plans. "I hope this trip gives my work a strong start," he noted.

Bence, another Hungarian passenger, chose Ningbo as a transfer point on his way to the Philippines. For him, the direct Budapest-Ningbo route offered the best combination of convenience and value. He plans to explore China in the near future, with cities such as Chengdu and Shanghai on his list — yet Ningbo, he added, will remain his preferred entry point.

Also on the flight was Maryam Rad, a student returning to reunite with her father, who runs a company in Ningbo. Having grown up and studied in the city, she considers Ningbo her second hometown. During this visit, she hopes to gain business experience and explore more of China, as she may one day carry on her family's work in the city.