Polish flag-carrier LOT has signed a firm order for 12 more Embraer 175s, which will position it as Europe’s largest E-Jet family operator.

Warsaw-based LOT has emerged as the recipient of 12 E-175s which were listed against an undisclosed customer in Embraer’s fourth quarter firm order backlog.

Under the deal the Polish carrier has options for two additional aircraft and purchase rights on ten more. Embraer values the 12-aircraft contract at $372 million, although if LOT realises all of its options and purchase rights this would increase to $744 million.

LOT chief executive Piotr Siennicki says: “Our current fleet of E-Jets is performing smoothly and the additional E-175s are the right aircraft to achieve our strategy of network development.”

The Polish carrier began operating Embraer ERJ-145s in 1999 and became the first European E-Jet operator when it took its first E-170 in March 2004.

LOT now operates 10 E-170s and six E-175s. Embraer says: “With this order, it will become Europe’s largest E-Jets operator.”


Source: flightglobal.com's premium news site Air Transport Intelligence news

Source: FlightGlobal.com