Polish flag-carrier LOT has selected the Airbus A220 for its short-haul fleet-renewal programme, after a strong competition against Embraer.
LOT is initially taking 40 A220 – split equally between the -300 and -100 – to replace the current fleet, the first time the airline has selected Airbus for fleet modernisation.
Deliveries will commence in summer 2027.
The remainder, taking the total to 84 aircraft, will be delivered when the new Polish capital hub – the airport being developed between Warsaw and Lodz – is ready in 2032.
“It was over a year ago when we started to work on this project, the project of refleeting, finding the right partner for regional fleet of LOT,” says chief executive Michal Fijol.
He says carrier and the airframer “did not know too much about each other”, but have reached the point of sealing a “new era” partnership for the airline.
Fijol says LOT received two “very competitive offers”, which were “very close”, but adds that Airbus “wanted us more”.
“We truly believe the A220 is the right aircraft for the future of LOT,” he adds. “It simply very well suits our strategy.”
Fijol says the twinjet type – powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engines – will serve to increase the airline’s route network, and offer passengers a modern cabin with more space, while consuming less fuel.
While the A220s, configurable with up to 149 seats, are a larger model than LOT has typically used on its regional network, Fijol points out that the carrier has recently been using the Embraer E2 and that passenger growth has been driving the expansion.
He adds that the airline also has two years to adapt before bringing in the A220s, and that the balance between the variants could shift depending on LOT’s requirements.
“We need to compete against the biggest European aviation groups,” says Fijol. “The cost of aircraft plays a very important role in that.”
The Paris air show event, at which the order was revealed, featured substantial Polish government representation, and came just a month after a high-level co-operation treaty was signed between France and Poland in Nancy.
But Airbus commercial aircraft chief Christian Scherer insists there is “no link”, adding: “This is an airplane transaction.”
Fijol also played down any connection, stating: “We need to base our decision on the numbers and the economic performance of the aircraft.”
