EuroLOT, the regional subsidiary of LOT Polish Airlines, is to create its own fleet in a deal with Aero International (Regional) to take five secondhand ATR 42-300 turboprops on lease, with three options.
The 48 seat aircraft won a competition against the Saab 340 and Bombardier de Havilland Dash 8-200. According to AI(R), the used aircraft will come from "several European airlines" which are returning their -300s because of lease expiry, or to upgrade to -500s.
EuroLOT has been operating with its parent's fleet of eight 64 seat ATR 72s since it started up last year, but it also needed a smaller aircraft more suited to growing domestic services to regional airports in Poland. The first two aircraft will be delivered in June, with a third following in July. The aircraft will allow it to open new regional services to airports such as Bydgoszcz and Rzeszow, and to increase frequencies on existing routes.
Source: Flight International
