LOT Polish Airlines
LOT Polish Airlines, legally incorporated as Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A. (Polish pronunciation: [lɔt], flight), is the flag carrier of Poland. It is a founding member of IATA and remains one of the world's oldest airlines in operation. With a fleet of 75 aircraft as of 2023, LOT Polish Airlines is the 18th largest operator in Europe, serving 145 domestic and international destinations across Europe, Asia and North America. The airline was founded on 29 December 1928 by the Polish government during the Second Polish Republic as a self-governing limited liability corporation, taking over existing domestic airlines Aerolot (founded in 1922) and Aero (founded in 1925), and began operations on 1 January 1929.
| |||||||
| Founded | 29 December 1928 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 1 January 1929 | ||||||
| Hubs | Warsaw–Chopin | ||||||
| Focus cities | |||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Miles & More | ||||||
| Alliance | Star Alliance | ||||||
| Subsidiaries |
| ||||||
| Fleet size | 74 | ||||||
| Destinations | 145 | ||||||
| Parent company | Polish Aviation Group | ||||||
| Headquarters | Warsaw, Poland | ||||||
| Key people | Michał Fijoł (CEO) | ||||||
| Revenue | US$ 1.86 billion (2022) | ||||||
| Operating income | US$ 72.3 million (2017) | ||||||
| Net income | US$ 25.5 million (2022) | ||||||
| Profit | US$ 93.8 million (2017) | ||||||
| Total assets | US$ 1.39 billion (2017) | ||||||
| Total equity | US$ 104.4 million (2017) | ||||||
| Employees | 2,167 | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
During the 1930s, LOT expanded its domestic and international routes, leading to a network spanning over 10,250 km by 1939 and expanded its fleet with the acquisition of Douglas DC-2 and Lockheed Electra, among other aircraft. The airline moved its operations to the new Warsaw Okęcie Airport in 1934. However, the outbreak of World War II in 1939 led to the suspension of services and evacuation of most of LOT's aircraft. Post-war, LOT was reestablished in 1945 as a state enterprise, primarily operating Soviet-built aircraft due to Poland becoming a Soviet satellite state in 1948. Resuming both domestic and international flights, LOT operated a fleet consisting of Ilyushin Il-18, Ilyushin Il-62, Tupolev Tu-134, and Antonov An-24, among others, serving routes across Europe, the Middle East, and eventually launching transatlantic flights to North America in the early 1970s.
In the post-1989 era, following the fall of communism in Poland, LOT transitioned to Western aircraft, including the acquisition of Boeing 767 for long-haul routes. The airline joined the Star Alliance in 2003. In recent years, the airline faced a failed privatization attempt and a temporary suspension of operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the destinations originate from its hub at Warsaw Chopin Airport. Since 2018, LOT has maintained one long-haul route from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Hungary where it operates regularly scheduled flights to Seoul all year round.