Poland’s national carrier, LOT Polish Airlines, placed its first-ever Airbus order at the Paris Air Show earlier this week. The airline placed a firm order for 20 Airbus A220-100s and 20 Airbus A220-300s.
LOT places first Airbus order
LOT Polish Airlines signed an agreement to acquire its first Airbus fleet at the Paris Air Show in the presence of executives from LOT Polish Airlines and Airbus. Also present were Poland’s Minister of Infrastructure, Dariusz Klimczak, and France’s Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot.
The airline will purchase 40 Airbus A220 aircraft. These include two variants of the aircraft -100 and -300. The planes will be acquired between 2027 and 2031. As per the deal terms, the airline can also purchase an additional 44 aircraft from Airbus if it wishes to exercise this option.
The Airbus A220 can hold 100 to 160 passengers, based on its specific version. As the aircraft has a maximum range of up to 6,700 km, it is capable enough to fly all connections within LOT’s European flight network.
The acquisition is meant to improve fuel efficiency across its fleet. Airbus has said that its A220 aircraft is meant to “gradually replace” LOT’s current regional fleet. This will also help the airline in developing new routes and offering new destinations. The airline will get its first aircraft in 2027.
It will also get PW1500G engines by Pratt&Whitney installed on its regional aircraft.
Michał Fijoł, President & CEO, LOT Polish Airlines, said:
“While making the choice today, we are thinking about the future. Airbus A220 family aircraft that will start joining the LOT Polish Airlines fleet in 2027 provide us with new growth and expansion opportunities that serve as the cornerstones of our development strategy. Designed with the comfort of our passengers in mind, these modern and fuel efficient planes will allow us to compete on the European sky, to strengthen our position of the preferred carrier in this part of Europe and to prepare LOT Polish Airlines to play the role of the leading carrier operating from Centralny Port Komunikacyjny.”
Airbus A220 configurations
Apart from the Pratt&Whitney engines, the airline also disclosed other configurations for its A220 fleet. The aircraft will be fitted with Poland-manufactured Recaro seats.
The seats will have additional features such as a 60W USB-C port, a mobile device holder and cup holders. The plane will also have bigger overhead bins to hold a higher number of carry-on bags, along with a wider passenger cabin with more height and larger windows. The plane will also have an internet connection.
As for the exterior, the aircraft will be styled as per the airline’s colour schemes and style, matching its widebody aircraft and business lounges.
Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Executive Vice President Sales Commercial Aircraft, Airbus, said:
“The order for 40 Airbus A220 aircraft is a historic breakthrough, as we are able to officially welcome LOT Polish Airlines in the Airbus family. The A220 will play a crucial role in the process of modernising LOT’s fleet and in the expansion of its connection network. A220-100 and A220-300 jets offer a perfect blend of features for satisfying those needs. We are looking forward to the cooperation with LOT Polish Airlines and to drawing upon the global knowledge of Airbus in order to support the carrier’s fleet modernisation programme and to ensure smooth integration of the A220 model.”
About LOT
LOT Polish Airlines is Poland’s national carrier that operates through Central and Eastern Europe, connecting the region with the rest of the globe. The airline has been operating since 1929. The airline flies to Japan, India, South Korea, Canada, and the United States. These are direct long-haul routes. The Polish carrier’s fleet also includes the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
