There are many reasons why someone might wish to visit the Hungarian city of Pécs: unique ceramics, wine and world-famous gloves, to name a few. 

Unfortunately, until recently, nobody really knew about the place. That is, until aviation newcomer Universal Air decided to fly there. 

The airline announced its debut into Malta’s crowded aviation scene in March, promising to carry passengers to new destinations ‒ including Pécs ‒ in its fleet of Dash 4-800 turboprop planes. 

And recently, the company announced its summer schedule which opened this month, adding direct flights between Malta and Cagliari (Sardinia), Perugia (Italy), Nice (France) and Prague (Czechia).

Universal Air CEO Simon Cook said the airline’s turboprop planes were versatile, nimble and able to load and take off quicker than their larger counterparts, making up for any lack of speed compared to aircraft such as Boeing’s 737. 

He also said they were quieter than previous models flown by the airline and more comfortable. 

And he promised that because of their smaller size carrying just 78 people, they would open new routes to smaller airports not able to accommodate larger aircraft. 

So, when Times of Malta was offered the chance to get a first-hand look at one of them, we dutifully hopped onboard. 

While the take-off was a little bumpier than usual, this could have been more the fault of the weather than the plane’s engines – though one might have expected a smoother ascent in a regular jet under the same conditions.

Passenger Gabor Nagy said he was “enjoying the turbulence” and as an aviation enthusiast was just excited to be onboard the airline’s first trip to Pécs. 

“It’s a pleasure for me,” he said.

Once the plane reached cruising altitude of around 25,000 feet – a height around 10,000 feet less than a regular passenger plane – the experience was much the same as any other flight, however.

In fact, the plane was arguably more comfortable, with more leg room and only two seats each side of the aisle, albeit a bit louder than a conventional jet. 

Cabin crew member Damian Galea said that while the plane’s smaller size – and therefore smaller crew complement – made the job more demanding, having fewer passengers onboard allowed for a more “intimate” atmosphere.

During the flight, Times of Malta caught up with Universal Air chairperson Andrew Walker, who said getting the airline to this point had been a “long journey”. 

Admitting it was “very hard to compete with the likes of Ryanair,” Walker stressed the company’s business model would be the secret to its success.

“We’re pitching a low-cost carrier, but with premium-economy frills. It’s always nice to delight your customers and that’s what we’re trying to do,” he said.

Why Pécs?

“We were contacted by the people in Pécs asking if we would consider the city as a route, which is quite unusual,” he explained. 

Describing local officials as “unbelievably supportive”, Walker stressed routes between Pécs and Malta were “incredibly in demand”, with Hungarian locals also keen to visit Malta.

And he thinks this is a sign the company’s business model is going to pay off. 

“Some people said we were crazy, and ‘how are you going to survive?’ [but] we’re not just going to survive; we’re going to thrive.”