LOT announces new strategy

Lot Airlines unveiled its new strategy and goals for the upcoming five years during a press conference Monday. While the confirmation of three new long haul flights (Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok) was the most eagerly anticipated announcement, Sebastian Mikosz, the president of PLL LOT, outlined several ambitious goals for the airline. Focusing on strong growth and development, LOT hopes to double in size by 2020. It’s new tagline, “#newLOT in New Europe” emphasizes the airline’s goal of connecting “New” or East Central Europe, and targeting a regional, rather than ethnic demographic.

In January, the airline will also re-establish connections to Barcelona, Belgrade, Düsseldorf, Yerevan, Chisinau, Zagreb, Gdańsk and Kraków. In March, LOT will launch routes to Athens, Nice, Zurich and Beirut. The national carrier also said that it may announce additional connections in autumn. Expanding its list of destinations will be accompanied with an expansion of its fleet to 70-80 planes.

“We have all the qualities to become a regional leader. We already maintain a strong position when compared to other carriers in New Europe, a large market that will continue to grow rapidly. Our Warsaw hub, the largest in this part of Europe, is perfectly situated to meet these demands. We are finishing our restructurization process with great success, and we are historically the main carrier connecting New Europe with North America; 86 years of history work in our favor in terms of brand recognition. These are just a few of the ways in which LOT’s accomplishments speak for themselves” highlighted Mikosz.

To accomplish such ambitious growth, LOT plans to focus its efforts on five main strategies: 1) the expansion of long haul flights 2) development of the Warsaw hub 3) increasing the number of passengers to 10 million annually  4) streamlining relations between ground, handling, service, catering and other operations and 5) encouraging a committed corporate team .

To accompany these processes, LOT is also conducting an overhaul of its overall image. This means introducing new graphics, design, and color schemes, not only for service kiosks at airports, but also cabins and seating for all classes.

These changes will aim to not only increase the comfort of passengers on board, but also aid in orientation during check in and while moving throughout the airport. Departing from its navy interiors, business class will now feature light blue seating with red accents, while economy and economy premium will be outfitted in shades of grey. Improved catering services as well as entertainment options hope to ensure that every passenger travels in the utmost possible comfort.