LOT Polish Airlines will expand its fleet size with the arrival of three new Embraer E195-E2 jets through a lease agreement with Florida-based lessor Azorra.
The first new Embraer E195-E2 is scheduled to join the LOT Polish Airlines fleet by the end of July this year with all aircraft deliveries completed in Q3 2024.
LOT was the first operator of the brand-new E-Jet in 2004 with the maiden flight completed by an E170 on an 85-minute trip from Warsaw to Vienna on March 17, 2024.
Since that flight Embraer has delivered 1,800 E-Jets with the most recent received by Royal Jordanian Airlines in May 2024.
“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 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,” Michał Fijoł, CEO of LOT Polish Airlines, said.
First flight for LOT Embraer E170 with retro livery http://t.co/Kp4u0WKjqZ pic.twitter.com/7pC0lvJrSG
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) April 4, 2014
Fijoł added: “With the E195-E2’s efficiency and passenger comfort, we are set to enhance our network, introducing additional frequencies to selected destinations.”
LOT was seeking a flexible solution for its capacity needs and will benefit from a seamless transition, over just a few days, for the airline’s existing E1 flight crews to the E2.
“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,” Arjan Meijer, President and CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation, said
Meijer added: “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.”
LOT will configure the E195-E2s, which seats a maximum of 146 passengers, in a comfortable single-class layout with 136 seats.
LOT currently operates a fleet of 43 E-Jets making it one of the largest operators of the aircraft type in Europe.
“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,” said John Evans, CEO and founder of Azorra.