Lot's dreams get bigger

Lot Polish Airlines, Poland's national air carrier, has signed an agreement with Boeing to increase its 787 Dreamliner order by one additional aircraft, bringing its total order to eight airplanes. In 2005, Lot placed an order for seven 787s, with delivery beginning in 2008.

It has also been announced that Lot will be the first European airline to receive and operate the 787 Dreamliners.

"We are delighted with the steady progress we are witnessing with the 787 Program," said Marek Mazur, CEO of Lot Polish Airlines. "Furthermore, we are making excellent progress preparing for the arrival of the first 787 of our fleet in 2008."

"The 787's technological breakthrough will bring airlines operational efficiency and flexibility which was not achievable previously in the wide-body segment," said Marlin Dailey, vice president for sales for Europe, Russia and Central Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Apart from the 787's exceptional passenger appeal, airlines will benefit from 20-percent lower fuel cost and 30-percent lower maintenance cost. And all that is achieved whilst reducing the environmental impact of the 787 by 20 percent in emissions and 60 percent in noise."

Dailey said that the 787 will provide a real opportunity for airlines like Lot to maximize shareholder return, while giving their customers more comfortable air travel.

The new Boeing jets will replace all the Boeing 767s which currently serve Lot's trans-Atlantic routes. According to Lot, purchasing the Dreamliner could open new intercontinental routes.

"Lot is analyzing several Far East destinations in particular," said Jakub Mielniczuk from Lot's press bureau.

Lot currently operates 19 flights a week to the United States and Canada from the Warsaw and Kraków airports.