Airbus has obtained an order for 40 A220 aircraft from the Polish airline. “We build a leader in air transport”
The European Airbus aircraft manufacturer obtained an important order from the Polish airline for 40 A220 aircraft.
Airbus won an order for 40 photo aircraft: Lot/X
It is the largest investment in the history of the Polish national carrier, this signaling a strategic proximity between Poland and France, reports Reuters.
“We build a leader in air transport in Europe“, Wrote Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, on the X platform.
The Lot CEO, Michał Fijoł, said the A220 choice was based strictly on economic criteria: “I only work with numbers“He said for the quoted source.
However, the presence of numerous officials in Poland, France and Canada at the press conference emphasized the political dimension of the decision. The Polish Minister of Infrastructure, Dariusz Klimczak, explained that consolidated economic relations between the two countries also support political cooperation.
The order comes at a time when the pro-European government of Poland, led by Tusk, tries to repair the links with the Western partners after years of tensions. Moreover, the Polish government obtained a vote of confidence in Parliament last week, convened by Prime Minister Donald Tusk after a major defeat of the coalition in the presidential elections.
In May, France and Poland signed an extended cooperation treaty in the fields of nuclear defense and energy. In 2016, the previous conservative government had suddenly canceled an order of $ 3.5 billion for Caracus helicopters produced, a gesture that caused a hard reaction from France.
The A220 contract, evaluated to up to $ 3.5 billion, includes additional options for another 44 aircraft, which could bring the total command to 84 units, according to Cirium Ascend analysts. The acquisition comes after a close competition with the Brazilian producer Embraer, being considered a defining moment for Warsaw ambitions to turn a lot into a key player in Eastern Europe.
The new order could also open the way for sales of Airbus military equipment to Poland, including air refueling (MRTT) and A400M carriers, according to industry sources.
