PLL LOT has been looking for new regional transport machines for a long time. Currently, the carrier's fleet has 86 aircraft, of which 39 are Boeing and 47 Embraers. Lot was the first airline in Europe, in which the fleet was Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Currently, the company has these machines 15.
In this context, the carrier's decision, who in mid -June, rejected the offer for the supply of aircraft from the Brazilian company Embraery and decided on the European Airbus A220. This is a historic change of the supplier. Machines in the A220-100 and A220-300 will gradually attach to the PLL LOT fleet from 2027. As part of the concluded contract, LOT has gained the right to buy another 44 Airbus machines in the future.
Lines that A220-300 aircraft have in their fleet
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LOT report “Regional Wings of LOT”
Airbus determination
Airbus A220 is a modern, regional jet that can, depending on the variant, accommodate from 100 to 160 passengers. Its maximum range is up to 6.7 thousand. km. – Over the past year, LOT Polish Airlines have carried out a multi -stage process of selecting regional aircraft supplier. We took into account both operational, technical and economic aspects, as well as our long -term strategic goals. After an in-depth analysis of the available offers, we decided to choose the family of Airbus A220 aircraft as the best suited to the planned development of LOT PLL-we hear LOT's press office.
According to representatives of the carrier, the Airbus offer provided the most favorable parameters in the field of operational efficiency and passenger comfort. – The latest generation Pratt & Whitney engines, in turn, provide 25 percent Lower, than previous generations, exhaust emissions and lower fuel consumption. Acquiring the A220 fleet is part of the plans of dynamic growth and preparation of PLL LOT to act as the main carrier at the Central Communication Port. We appreciate many years of successful cooperation with the Embraer company, which has had a significant contribution to the development of our connection network. However, this decision on choosing the A220 is a natural step towards further optimization of the fleet in the perspective of the next decades – add representatives of the company's press office.
At the Sejm Infrastructure Commission, which took place at the end of June, Michał Fijoł, president of the board of PLL LOT, admitted that Embraer had made an extremely competitive offer. – Embraer is an entity that wanted to maintain his presence in Europe and therefore made an extremely competitive offer. At the same time, however, at least from the 1990s, Airbus wanted to appear on the Polish market and LOT was the last line in Europe, which important from Airbus products did not use. This determination was very large and concluded that in this extremely competitive trial, Airbus made a better offer – said Fijoł.
He added, however, that there is no one element that he decided. “The full offer prevailed,” said Fijoł.
Michał J. Wichrowski, president of PMA Aviation and academic lecturer, notes that Airbus has been sought to enter the Fleet of Polish Airlines LOT for many years, which historically preferred suppliers on the other side of the Atlantic – Boeing and Embraer. – The decision to switch to the European manufacturer is a breakthrough change, especially taking into account the scale of investments in crew training, mechanics and the new logistics of spare parts, which will be incurred by the flight – notes the expert.
Comparison of aircraft
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LOT report “Regional Wings of LOT”
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Choice not easy
The flight had a difficult choice. Both machines are considered safe. There has never been a disaster with the participation of Airbus A220 and Embraer E195-E2, whose purchase was considered. The most serious incident involving the Airbus A220 took place on December 23, 2024. The Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) machine machine made an emergency landing in Graz due to smoke in the cabin. Unfortunately, one of the crew members died a few days after this incident. Earlier, in 2023, the Airbaltic aircraft of the same type fell out of the runway while landing in the roar. Nobody suffered in this event.
In 2024 there was an incident involving the Embraer E195-E2 aircraft in Belgrade. During the start, the Air Serbia machine crossed the end of the runway and hit the lighting pole. Despite the damage, the aircraft rose into the air and circled for an hour before he returned to the airport. None of the passengers or crew was injured.
So what was decisive for LOT? Michał J. Wichrowski supposes that Airbus's offer was more competitive in many respects than that than the Embraer. Among the key decision -making factors indicates fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions – relevant from the perspective of decarbonization of aviation and EU goals. Due to this, as he notes, the delivery dates could be decisive.
– With current delays on the aircraft market, the possibility of receiving machines at a coincidence with the opening of CPK could have been of great importance – says Michał J. Wichrowski.
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LOT report “Regional Wings of LOT”
Geopolitical context
The costs of purchase and technical service as well as offset conditions could also outweigh the decision, which could bring specific benefits to the Polish air sector. – Airbus is a European consortium whose shareholders are France, Germany, Spain and Great Britain. In the past, there were suggestions that Poland could join this capital structure, which would involve the extension of supply chains in our country. Perhaps there is a grain of truth in this rumor – notes Michał J. Wichrowski.
He points out that it is worth looking at the choice in a geopolitical context. – We are observing today the trend of industry regionalization – including flight purchases – which promotes strengthening European industrial and technological cooperation. Poland already produces many components for passenger aircraft – LOT's decision can further strengthen this sector – believes the expert.
Dr. Michał Dudek from the Department of Tourism and Recreation of the University of WSB Merito Chorzów also draws attention to a broader look. – Almost every network airline diversifies its fleet so that it consists of aircraft of various manufacturers and cooperators. After all, one should not forget about globalization conditions, pandemic experiences or, unfortunately, more and more frequent conflicts and wars. All these situations generated disturbances in the supply of parts or intensifying chaos. One aircraft supplier in the current conditions can inhibit line progress. In addition, it should not be forgotten that in the case, as in history with B 737 Max, a decision to “ground” a given aircraft type, an airline that does not have a diversified fleet can practically cease to exist – says Dr. Michał Dudek.
Competitor disappointed
Embraer in a statement issued after LOT's decision, wrote that “although he respects the decision of PLL LOT”, he believes that “E2 would be the best plane for LOT from the point of view of economics and sustainable development.”
“Embraer E2 is 13 percent more efficient, and unlike larger competition, it would be a perfect complement to Boeing B737 Max LOT. However, we understand that we live in a unique time in which geopolitics plays an important role”-he stated.
Dr. Michał Dudek notes that the voices of light disappointment, from the rejected suppliers, are quite obvious. – First of all, each supplier seeks the position of a monopolist in cooperation. This creates the possibility for him to somehow intermediate impact on the position of the purchase. You can dictate the price, set the costs of the service or spare parts or delivery times. Of course, these are not allegations, but only an attempt to interpret the real situation. Suppliers can also be offended by the fact that the history of the A220 model is actually the result of the synergy of a consortium from Canada, i.e. a neighbor, where Boeing models and a direct competitor for Embraer, i.e. Bombardier, are largely built. She entered the Consortium Airbus. After all, the earlier name A220 is actually the name – Bombardier of the C series. Therefore, you can clearly see the phenomenon of the fight for the market and the client – also about us passengers – emphasizes the expert.
However, he points out that although the choice of Airbus is right and important and perhaps taken even too late, it will be associated with specific challenges. – You should properly prepare for the introduction of a new aircraft into our fleet from the side of additional costs. Here, the euphoria effect should be subdued. First of all, as in the case of any new product on the market, additional costs may appear related to its introduction, training, modifications, etc. Even the highest class products in the initial use phase can give the user's “headache” of the user. The more that in the history of managing our carrier it was already so. We are talking about several surprising situations with the early use of the first copies of Dreamliner. Therefore, all costs and fees as well as profits related to this innovation should be carefully verified – emphasizes Dr. Michał Dudek.
