In June this year LOT LOT chose Airbus with the A220 in versions -100 and -300 for a supplier of 40 aircraft for the Polish carrier's fleet. The value of the contract is about $ 9 billion. The first planes are to join the Fleet Fleet in 2027, the deliveries are to last until 2031.
The contract has the option of buying another 44 machines of this type. Lot buys Airbus machines for the first time. Airbus's competitor in this tender was the Brazilian Embraer. The contract representatives of LOT and Airbus were signed during the “Paris Air Show” Air Fair.
“The largest contract in LOT's history”
-This is the largest contract in LOT's history-said Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Maciej Lasek on Wednesday at Airbus Day, organized at the LOT PLL headquarters. In his opinion, this is not only a business decision, but a “strategic investment in the future of Polish aviation”. – I do not have to convince anyone that the choice of aircraft through Polish LOT Airlines is proof of ambition long -term thinking about the role of Poland in Europe – emphasized Lasek.
He noted that the Polish aviation industry is the fastest growing in Europe. – We achieved 14 percent growth at Polish airports, when the average in the European Union is at 3-3.5 percent. This shows that we are a country with the greatest dynamics, a country that develops best in Europe – said Lasek. In his opinion, the choice of Airbus “will definitely strengthen the competitive position of LOT and Poland throughout the entire transport system.”
-We must remember that the modern LOT fleet is an investment not only in the airline, but above all to the future of Polish aviation and Poland's position on the map of Europe-he noted.
President of PLL LOT Michał Fijoł reminded that Pratt & Whitney engines for new Airbus aircraft. “The first Airbus type 220 plane will go to the company in the first half of 2027,” said Fijoł. He added that it is to be A220 version 300.
The head of LOT clarified that the first airbus, which will join the carrier's fleet in 2027, would start consolidating the regional fleet. Ultimately, after the withdrawal of the older generation of regional machines, it will consist only of Airbus A220-100 and -300 aircraft, which will simplify the planning of flights and ensure high operational efficiency.
Airbus will replace the regional fleet
– Airbus will replace the current regional fleet in the perspective of three years from 2027. At the moment, the flight has 86 aircraft, over 45 embraers, 15 dreamliners, the rest are Boeing 737 Max. Embraers will be replaced by the Airbus fleet in 2027, 2028 and 2029. Our contract is flexible and we will be able to decide whether we will fly large, only large aircraft of this type, or whether it will be a fleet varied depending on the needs – said Fijoł.
He added that the supply of new machines is associated with training pilots for airbus. – During the budgeting period, we must already predict which pilots and how many pilots in 2027 will leave the IZ service line and go from ongoing work into training mode. And how many are to be ready for March, April, May, June. This is extremely important because we operate on an extremely competitive market, on the market, which is characterized by low margins, extremely high competitiveness – explained Fijoł.
In turn, the vice president of Airbus Benoit de Saint-Exupéry assured that the concern is ready “to start a new chapter with PLL LOT”. And we are very excited about it. The A220 will play a key role in the modernization of the LOT fleet and strategies for the expansion of the connection network. Aircraft A220-100 and A220-300 are an ideal combination for these needs-he said.
As announced by the Government Plenipotentiary for CPK, Chopin Airport, which is a interchange for LOT, will undergo modernization. – We are building a central communication port, a new airport. Many have different objections – he admitted.
He emphasized that the capital port is well located, close to the center of Warsaw, where you can get quickly.
– But this airport unfortunately ends its bandwidth, ends its capabilities. And so that we can develop further, and so that the flight can further develop, we must give him more space. CPK together with PLL LOT will create a really good, proper and one of the first places in this part of Europe when it comes to air transport – he assessed.
According to Chick, the airport is easy to build, but – as he noted – “build the airport with its own airline, which will allow to grow, so that it is able to be the line that will play a dominant role at a new, much larger airport – this is already art.” “This is the construction of a common strategy and mutual support,” he said.
In his opinion, the flight must increase the fleet and expand the network of connections, and thanks to the new aircraft and modernization of the Chopin Airport, the carrier will enter CPK with a very strong position and maintain a dominant role in the region.
-Poland needs strong national lines, strong LOT. There are no discussions here. We also need modern infrastructure and partnership with global partners, because today it is difficult to achieve something more on this difficult, competitive market – noted Lasek.
Airbus A220 is a jet that can – depending on the variant – accommodate from 100 to 160 passengers. Has a maximum range of 6.7 thousand. km, which, according to LOT, allows the operation of operations within the entire European line grid. The carrier emphasizes that the new generation of regional aircraft will also benefit in the form of lower CO2 and noise emissions and 25 percent. Savings in fuel consumption for passenger compared to previous aircraft.
Airbus Canada is the producer of A220. In Mirabel in the province of Quebec, the aircraft is made of parts produced worldwide, of which about 40 percent. comes from Europe. Some elements are produced in Poland. The second center of final assembly is located in Mobile in the American state of Alabama. Originally A220 was a project of the Canadian bombardier, referred to as CSeries. Airbus took over the air part of the Bombardier together with the design of the new aircraft. The first flight, as a CS100, took place in 2013, in 2016 it began to fly with customers. The aircraft is powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engines.
From the flight of aircraft currently operated by PLL is Boeing: six B737-800, 18 B737 in the max version, fifteen dreamliners, of which eight in the B787-8 and seven B787-9 version. In the colors of the Polish carrier, 47 Embraers of E-Jet also summer: five E170, 15 E175 (including two at the disposal of the government), eight E190, 16 E195 and three E195-E257. These last machines joined the Fleet LOT in July 2024.
The main shareholder of PLL LOT is the State Treasury, which has 69.3 percent. shares; The second shareholder (30.7 percent) is the Polish Aviation Group, belonging in 100 percent. to the Treasury.
