LOT Polish Airlines, the flag carrier of Poland, remains one of the world’s oldest operational airlines – in 2024 the company commemorates its 95th anniversary and this impressive legacy is set to continue: LOT survived the challenging years of the global pandemic with flying colours and is determined to translate its recent record financial results into ambitious growth.
Krzysztof Krolak, VP Technical Operations, explains that last year the company defined a new strategy for 2024–2028. Key objectives include expanding the aircraft fleet by around 50% (110 in 2028 versus 79 today), increasing passenger numbers by around 70% (16.9 million in 2028 versus 10.3 million today) as well as increasing service quality and passenger satisfaction, for example by setting new interior standards on wide-body aircraft and introducing Wi-Fi access on long-haul flights.
“Growing passenger numbers and opening new destinations clearly require more aircraft,” says Krolak. “The fleet expansion is already being implemented with the planned delivery of three new Embraer E195-E2 alongside with additional Boeing 737-8 MAX. The first jet arrived in July with the remaining aircraft deliveries expected to be completed in Q4 2024.”
Modern fleet
Designed to accommodate up to 136 passengers, these jets will feature a single-class configuration and support the airline’s growth strategy. Today LOT has a fleet of 45 E-jets making it one of the largest operators of E-jets in Europe, and the Embraer E195-E2 will further enhance the airline’s operational flexibility.
“We also plan to expand our fleet of regional aircraft and expect the final decision to be made by the end of the year. This is in line with our plans to fully modernise the fleet by 2035,” says Krolak. The airline is considering both Embraer E2s and Airbus A220s for its fleet renewal.
Also as part of the new strategy, LOT wants to introduce nearly 20 new scheduled destinations, both medium- and long-haul. Bearing in mind the growing importance of pro-environmental attitudes in the world and passengers’ expectations, an Destination ECO project has been introduced, aimed at reducing CO2 emissions, finding alternative aviation fuels and recycling.
“Needless to say, sustainability is very important to us and is an integral part of the new strategy. We are striving to optimise flight operations, reducing the quantity of plastics on board and in our offices, and we are also working to protect the environment by restoring habitats, to name just a few of the environmental measures that we have launched,” says Krolak.
Expanding the reach
Despite the fact that LOT has been one of the aviation companies severely affected by the war in Ukraine, the company has been achieving outstanding results over the last few years, as traffic volumes are slowly starting to return to pre-pandemic levels. “People want to fly and our load factor is going up. We don’t have any aircraft grounded due to a shortage of passengers,” affirms Krolak, adding that the summer season in particular has been extremely busy.
With its extensive flight network, LOT already reaches the most remote corners of the world. “Outside Europe, we operate direct flights to Canada and the US and we are also re-opening flights to Asia, which had many routes closed during the pandemic,” says Krolak. “In Europe, new routes are being continuously added to the list of destinations.”
For example, LOT aircraft will now be serving the Cyprus route 4 times per week in the winter season and 6 times a week in the summer. The connection to the French city of Lyons, operating six times a week, will be re-launched in September. Another destination included in the carrier’s 2024-2028 expansion strategy is Larnaca, which will re-start in October, following a two-year pause. Further afield, earlier this year the company started to fly to Riyadh, which has become the second city on the Arabian Peninsula in the national carrier’s flight network, after Dubai.
The company did not lay off any staff during the pandemic, so the increased volume of business will not hinder a smooth and efficient operation, although Krolak admits that a shortage of skilled manpower has been an ongoing challenge. “We note a lack of qualified aviation and aeronautical engineering resources, from ground personnel and mechanics to office engineers. This issue is further accentuated by the fact that the older generation is now leaving for retirement, creating a gap in much-needed skill transfer.”
“To this end, we are actively working on establishing and promoting internal training programmes, and also are working with technical schools to attract youngsters to the aviation sector. Being a national carrier is significant and LOT is seen as an attractive employer. Indeed, we are a brand that counts and that certainly helps to raise interest in aviation in the young generation.”
Well on track
Being one of the most important companies in Poland, with a long European heritage, also means that LOT’s role in the country’s economy is undisputed. “Wherever possible we try to hire Polish contractors and suppliers to support the market. However, aviation is an international sector so we naturally work with international companies as well,” says Krolak.
“Although the supply chain was heavily affected during the pandemic, it is continuously improving. As we grow, we want our suppliers to grow with us. As such we will be helping to create a positive environment to support the development and rise of the aviation business.”
That is already happening. While at the beginning of 2024 the company had 75 aircraft in its fleet, the number is set to increase to 86 by end of the year, says Krolak and affirms that to experience the actual execution of a clear strategy is very motivating.
“Seeing us deliver on our promise makes everybody in the company proud. There is a lot of work involved, requiring a huge amount of effort from all of us, but at the same time it is fun. Seeing that our hard work is bringing about the desired results is, indeed, very exciting.”
