Polish flag-carrier LOT’s chief executive, Michal Fijol, has disclosed that the carrier has signed for three Embraer E2 jets which will arrive this summer.
Fijol was speaking at the European Economic Congress in Katowice on 7 May.
“We’ve decided to step up our activities to develop our fleet,” he said, referring to the airport situation in Warsaw, where Chopin airport appears set to expand while efforts persist to create a new hub.
Fijol says the airline contracted last year for 11 Boeing 737 Max aircraft – for this year and next – but adds: “We have a contract signed to buy three new-generation Embraer aircraft.”
He says the first is scheduled to arrive in July, with the second and third being delivered in August and September.
“Owing to our partnership with Embraer, we managed to get these aircraft at a good price and very quickly,” adds Fijol.
“In July for our passengers we’ll have the latest-generation Embraer aircraft.”
Embraer subsequently confirmed that LOT would take the E195-E2 variant, stating that the aircraft would offer a “seamless transition” for the carrier’s current E-Jet crews. LOT has 43 E-Jets.
LOT will configure the E2 aircraft with 136 seats in a single-class layout, the airframer says, adding that the jets will be leased through US-based Azorra, which is located in Florida.
Fijol stresses that the lease is “not a fleet-scale decision”, pointing out that the carrier unveiled a tender for 84 new aircraft in April, for which it is evaluating Airbus and Embraer models.
He says the fleet renewal is among the step the carrier is taking to achieve “clearly-defined goals” including a 30% market share by 2028.
