PR: LOT Polish Airlines will add the Embraer E195-E2 to their fleet to enhance operational flexibility and accommodate network expansion. LOT will lease three new E195-E2 from Azorra, reaffirming their commitment to sustainable growth with the addition of the 25% more efficient E2 to their fleet. The first jet will arrive by the end of July this year, with all aircraft deliveries completed by October.
LOT requires a flexible solution for its capacity needs as the airline’s network grows. The E2 allows a seamless transition over just a few days for LOT’s existing E-Jet first generation flight crews, and offers a spacious and comfortable cabin experience for passengers, delivering an unmatched travel experience with no middle seats. The new E2s also add flexibility, complementing LOTs larger narrow body aircraft at similar seat costs.
“Embracing the future with a nod to our pioneering past, we are pleased to announce the lease of three state-of-the-art Embraer E195-E2 jets from Azorra. This strategic enhancement to our fleet not only marks our continued commitment to sustainable aviation but also celebrates our partnership with Embraer since the introduction of the first E-Jet in 2004. With the E195-E2’s exceptional efficiency and passenger comfort, we are set to enhance our network, introducing additional frequencies to selected destinations” – said Micha? Fijo?, CEO of LOT Polish Airlines.
John Evans, CEO and founder of Azorra, said: “As an existing customer to Azorra, we’re proud to support LOT in its strategic growth and operation of one of the youngest fleets in Europe. These new E195-E2s from our orderbook offer demonstrable benefits for LOT, reducing fuel burn, carbon emissions and operating costs, while enhancing passenger comfort. We thank Embraer and Pratt & Whitney for their ongoing partnership as we continue to expand the E2’s customer base.
Arjan Meijer, President and CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation, said, “LOT is a pioneer airline, the global launch customer for the E-jets, and though 90 airlines have since operated the aircraft – the first is always special. LOT’s first move into the E2 is an important moment for Embraer. We’re celebrating LOT’s first E2s, the 20th anniversary of the E-Jet program, and our 25 year relationship with Poland’s flag carrier – the first Embraer aircraft delivered to LOT was the ERJ145 in 1999. We look forward to our continued partnership with LOT, including the new opportunities for the E2 – the most fuel efficient, quietest, and least costly jet to operate in the small narrowbody segment.
The airline will configure E195-E2, which seats a maximum of 146 passengers, in a comfortable single class layout with 136 seats.
LOT was the first operator of the brand new E-Jet in 2004. The first flight, on 17th March 2004, was completed by an E170 from Poland’s capital to Vienna. The 85-minute, 520km flight to Vienna marked the beginning of the extraordinary success of Embraer’s new aircraft family; the 1800th E-Jet in the program, an E190-E2, was recently delivered to a customer in the Middle East.
Today LOT has a fleet of 43 E-jets making it one of the largest operators of E-jets in Europe. To date, LOT’s E-jet fleet has flown 850 million kilometers, over 1.4m flight hours, and has carried more than 60m passengers – almost twice the population of Poland.
This news underscores some critical insight:
- Airlines rarely switch OEMs, and this is even more true these days because pilot training costs are significant (finding simulator time is getting harder and more expensive).
- LOT continues its strategy. The move on three E2s is a start, not the end.
- Embraer has the quickest delivery slots, and with Azorra having secured slots, LOT will get its aircraft quickly.
- This combination of factors enables LOT to update and upsize rapidly.
- Moving adroitly enables LOT to deploy these aircraft with minimal disruption and maximize network benefits.