LOT reportedly set to choose Boeing in battle for planes

The decision will be made public within the next few days. According to representatives of the commission investigating both offers, the running costs of Boeing's 787 planes will be cheaper than that of European rival Airbus' A-330. The value of the contract will amount to $500 million. The decision over which company would be selected to deliver the machines has already been postponed several times due to strong competition between the companies and diplomatic lobbying from top EU officials. These included a letter sent to Prime Minister Marek Belka by British PM Tony Blair, President of France Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Shroeder. All three tried to convince Belka to purchase the Airbus planes. The US administration also put pressure on domestic politicians to select their Boeings. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, B1) A.K.