Airbus receives a historic command from the National Polish Lot company, for 40 A220 aircraft / strategic approximation between France and Poland
Polish airline plane. Photo credit: Marco Wolf / Alamy / Profimedia
The European Airbus aircraft manufacturer obtained a major order from the Polish airline for 40 A220 aircraft, marking the largest investment in the history of the national carrier and signaling a strategic approach between Poland and France, writes News.ro citing Reuters.
The agreement, evaluated at up to $ 3.5 billion, includes additional options for 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.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the order, on the X platform, as “the largest investment in the history of the Polish national carrier” and a step towards “the construction of a European aviation leader”.
The Lot CEO, Michal Fijol, said the A220 choice was based strictly on economic criteria: “I only work with figures,” he told the Reuters agency.
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.
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 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.
Beyond the geopolitical implications, the contract is an important victory for the A220 program, which was taken by Airbus from Bombardier in 2018. Although the plane is appreciated for its efficiency, sales have been unequal so far. Analysts say that this contract leads the program “closer to the profitability threshold”.
In reply, Embraer said he respects the lot, but suggested that European policy has played a role in the Airbus choice.
“We understand that we live an exceptional moment when geopolitics matters,” said the Brazilian company, adding that it will continue to support the existing fleet of Embraer operated by the lot.
