On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at 6:50 PM, the first of three Embraer 195-E2 commercial aircraft leased by LOT Polish Airlines from the American lessor Azorra landed at Chopin Airport in Warsaw. The contract for this lease was signed on May 7 of this year.
Image: PLL LOT
The aircraft arrived from Embraer’s facilities in Brazil. On August 11, it will embark on its first scheduled flight to one of the European cities. With this new fleet, the national carrier is expanding its operational capabilities, broadening its route network, and increasing the frequency of flights to selected European cities (such as Zurich or Oslo). The next two E195-E2 aircraft will join the national carrier’s fleet by the end of the third quarter of this year.
“Twenty years after the delivery of the first Embraer E-170, LOT Polish Airlines’ fleet will expand with three Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. Thanks to these planes, we will increase the frequency of flights to selected European cities, offering passengers a high level of comfort with a next-generation fleet. The introduction of new, low-emission aircraft is also part of our ‘Destination ECO’ strategy. LOT Polish Airlines is now one of the largest Embraer operators in Europe, so we are delighted to welcome the newest, most advanced aircraft and invite our passengers to travel with us,” said Michał Fijoł, CEO of LOT Polish Airlines.
Improved Performance and New Quality of the E195-E2
The Embraer E195-E2 is 25% more efficient compared to the previous generation E195, resulting in lower fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions. Adding this new generation of narrow-body aircraft to the fleet reaffirms LOT’s commitment to sustainable development and provides an excellent opportunity to expand the operations division.
“Introducing the new E195-E2 type brings new opportunities for our technical services and flight personnel. The E195-E2 is one of the most advanced regional aircraft, with a range of up to 4,815 km—almost 1,000 km more than the previous generation. The E195-E2 aircraft are equipped with modern, economical, and low-emission Pratt & Whitney engines. Additionally, the cockpit commonality allows pilots to transition smoothly from the E1 to the E2 fleet. After additional training, pilots will be able to fly both types of aircraft,” said Piotr Strzałkowski, Head of the Embraer Fleet Department at LOT Polish Airlines.
In the new aircraft, LOT Polish Airlines will offer passengers a spacious and comfortable cabin in the popular 2-2 configuration with 136 seats.
LOT Polish Airlines were the first operator of the new E-Jet in 2004. The first flight, on March 17, 2004, was operated by an Embraer 170 from Warsaw to Vienna. The 520-kilometer flight lasted 85 minutes and marked the beginning of the remarkable success of Embraer’s new aircraft family. The 1,800th E-Jet in the program, an E190-E2, was recently delivered to a customer in the Middle East.
Before Wednesday’s delivery, LOT Polish Airlines had a fleet of 43 E-Jets, making it one of the largest Embraer operators in Europe. To date, LOT’s E-Jet fleet has flown 850 million kilometers, accumulated over 1.4 million flight hours, and carried more than 60 million passengers—almost twice the population of Poland.
Currently, LOT Polish Airlines has a fleet of 75 aircraft, including the mentioned Embraers as well as 32 Boeing aircraft (B737 and B787). One of the key elements of the company’s strategy is to secure up to 110 aircraft by 2028. Therefore, the company is actively engaging in discussions with aircraft manufacturers. LOT faces a strategic decision on whether to continue its partnership with the current supplier (Embraer) in the regional segment or switch to a competing platform (Airbus). As part of these plans, the company is considering the purchase of 84 regional aircraft.
Pierwszy z trzech nowych Embraerów 195-E2 już wkrótce dołączy do floty #PLLLOT. Pierwsze, rozkładowe połączenie nowego samolotu zaplanowane jest na 11 sierpnia.✈️#flyLOT pic.twitter.com/WSVJorBOfu
— Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT (@LOTPLAirlines) July 30, 2024
Based on press release