Budapest - Hungary's rail network was almost completely paralysed on Monday due to a strike over pay and conditions by the largest rail workers' union, the VDSZSZ.

The industrial action began in the east of Hungary at midnight on Saturday, and was extended nationwide at 6 pm (1700 GMT) on Sunday. Hungarians woke up on Monday morning to find that there were no longer any Intercity or international services at all.

The three main railway stations in the capital Budapest were completely deserted, with only a handful of departures scheduled to leave and a few local trains bringing commuters in. The situation was similar in other cities around the country.

Budapest  - Railway workers began an indefinite strike on Sunday, adding to Hungary's transport woes as disruption continued at Budapest's Ferihegy International Airport for a fifth day.

Hungarian railway workers began their strike at midnight, with the industrial action initially confined to the eastern half of Hungary.

A spokesman for state-owned Hungarian Railways (MAV), Imre Kavalecz, said around half of trains in the main eastern cities of Debrecen and Miskolc had been affected. In other areas 90 per cent of trains were running.

The main rail union, VDSZSZ, is demanding a one-off payment of 250,000 forint (930 euros) to every worker as a share in the proceeds from the recent privatisation of MAV Cargo, the freight division.

Budapest - A dispute between airport staff and management at Budapest's Ferihegy International Airport entered its third day on Friday, causing further queues, cancellations and delays.

The Hungarian Airline Pilots Association was also planning to announce a strike on Friday, Hungarian media reported. Pilots are unhappy with decisions made by Budapest Airport management, the right-wing daily Magyar Hirlap said.

Budapest - The management of Budapest's Ferihegy International Airport were hoping for less disruption on Thursday as airport workers went on strike for a second day.

"The unions will go ahead with the strike and reject the employer's ultimatum that the resumption of negotiations is conditional on us calling off the strike," said Zoltan Kovacs, strike leader and head of one of the two main unions representing workers at the airport, on Thursday morning.

Budapest - Workers at Budapest's Ferihegy International Airport went on strike at 6 am on Wednesday in protest over working conditions and amid fears of redundancies.

A few aircraft were able to take off in the early hours, but at around 7 am security staff joined the strike, effectively stopping passengers from proceeding to the boarding gates.

Domokos Szollar, a spokesman for the airport operator Budapest Airport, said that a new team of security personnel was due to start work at 11 am and it is hoped some of them would be prepared to work. Incoming flights had not been affected so far.

Budapest  - Delays and cancellations are expected when workers at Budapest's Ferihegy International Airport begin an indefinite strike at 6 am (0500 GMT) on Wednesday.

A spokesman for Budapest Airport told the state news agency MTI that there are 250 flights scheduled in and out of Budapest Wednesday.

Krisztina Nemeth, a spokeswoman for the Hungarian national airline Malev said she could not say how many flights will be affected, as Malev had not yet been officially informed of the strike.