Polish airline LOT has entered into a leasing agreement to receive six Boeing 737 MAX 8s from Air Lease Corporation (ALC). The aircraft were associated with Blue Air, from Romania, which ceased operations.
All six jets will be delivered in October and will join five other 737 MAX 8s also leased by ALC. This is an interim solution while LOT does not complete its fleet renewal plan.
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“We are honored and pleased to expand our long relationship with LOT by leasing the airline six modern 737-8 jet aircraft, in addition to the sixs currently on lease, doubling the size of the ALC owned portfolio to 12 aircraft at LOT,” said Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation.
“LOT is in the process of selecting a new fleet in the regional and narrow-body segment. Until a supplier is selected, we are planning to source aircraft as a bridging solution – the first Embraer 175 and 190 have already joined LOT Polish Airlines’ fleet and will soon be followed by the Boeing 737-8,” said Maciej Wilk, Chief Operating Officer of LOT Polish Airlines.
LOT expanded its fleet of Embraer E-Jets this year, having received four second-hand E190s. The largest Polish carrier, the company is taking a long time to make a decision on the renewal of the short- and medium-range fleet.
Airbus, with the A220 and A320neo, and Embraer, with the E2 family, compete for a large order, which could reach 60 aircraft. In July, Bloomberg said that LOT was close to a deal with the European manufacturer, but so far there has been no announcement by either company.
