Airbus confirms proposal to sell 84 A220s to LOT Polish Airlines
Airbus has formalized a proposal to sell 84 A220 aircraft to LOT Polish Airlines, said Benoit de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft division.
The offer includes A220-100 and A220-300 variants, said the executive, who predicted that deliveries would start as early as 2026 or 2027 and extend through 2030.
State carrier LOT has been evaluating a large order for up to 150-seat aircraft for years, which is being competed for by Airbus and Embraer.
The Brazilian manufacturer, which supplies the majority of the Polish airline’s fleet (47 of the 86 aircraft), is trying to sell the E2 family to replace the E-Jets currently in operation.
Three E195-E2s have been used by LOT since last year on a leasing basis. They are configured with 136 seats in a single class, but Embraer also has the E190-E2 in its portfolio, which can carry around 112 passengers.
Promises of local investments
Saint-Exupéry’s statement comes days after Embraer’s top management visited Poland to promise massive investments in the local industry if it not only wins the LOT bid but also secures an order from the Polish Armed Forces for the C-390 Millennium airlifter.
The Airbus executive stressed that the group already employs 850 people and invests US$500 million per year in Poland, in response to its rival’s US$30 million in spending.
According to Le Monde, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury is planning a visit to Poland in response to Embraer’s approach.
Manufactured in North America, the A220 was born from Bombardier’s C Series project and is a larger aircraft with greater range than the E2.
LOT, however, does not operate any Airbus models, which would mean a large investment in training and support for these aircraft.
Both competitors are equipped with the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine, which has undergone an extensive recall and left several aircraft on the ground.
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Ricardo Meier
Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
