LOT Polish Airlines has been grappling with a tough decision over an order for up to 84 narrow-body jets for several years now.
Poland’s state-owned airline is considering the Airbus A220-300 and the Embraer E195-E2 to begin a modernization and expansion of its fleet of aircraft below the Boeing 737 MAX 8.
In a statement to AFP, LOT spokesman Krzysztof Moczulski said the first aircraft should be delivered in 2028 and that a decision on the winner is expected in “the coming months”.
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To Polish media, Dorota Dmuchowska, a board member of the carrier, predicted that the order could be announced by March.
Fleet split between Boeing and Embraer
Owner of a fleet of 86 aircraft, LOT has relied on Boeing and Embraer aircraft in recent years.
Long-haul routes are handled by 15 787 Dreamliners (eight 787-8s and seven 787-9s) while medium-haul routes are handled by 24 737s, most of them from the MAX 8 series (18 jets).
The rest of the aircraft are supplied by the manufacturer, including three E195-E2s like the ones it is considering. The jets were supposed to be delivered to Malaysian SK Airways, but the leasing agreement was cancelled.
The lessor Azorra then passed them on to LOT last year. They cover the gap left by failed deliveries of 737 MAX 8s, which will now be received after the 2025 summer season.
A total of 13 aircraft are expected to be added by the middle of next year.
At the same time, LOT plans to return smaller E-Jets such as the E175 and the pioneering E170, for which the airline was the launch customer in 2004.
The plan is to increase the number of seats per flight from now on and double the aircraft fleet by around 2032, when a new international airport opens in Warsaw, its hub.
Maciej Lasek, state secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure, said the goal is to have a modern and quiet regional fleet that will operate at Chopin Airport, which is also being expanded and has restrictions in its surroundings.
Familiar aircraft vs. longer range
Embraer’s long-standing relationship with LOT and experience with the three E195-E2s work in its favor, as the transition from the old E-Jets to the E2s is theoretically much easier.
Airbus, on the other hand, has been playing hardball in the negotiations and has a tempting trump card in the A220, the aircraft’s enormous range, which also offers more capacity and comfort.
But it is a manufacturer that is unknown to crew and ground staff, requiring a large investment in training and infrastructure.
The two rivals, however, share the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine, which, although efficient, has undergone a complex recall that has left many aircraft grounded.
Whichever one is chosen, it will certainly be a deal that will change the landscape of the market for up to 160 seats.
