Polish Airlines: The first decision – we fly more frequently across the Atlantic

“The nearest future will be a particularly difficult stage in the history of LOT. It is a time of necessary changes, especially in the area that is considered to be of fundamental importance for an air carrier, that is the network of destinations. I believe that the decisions we have taken will help LOT survive on the difficult aviation market and become a profitable European carrier “said Sebastian Mikosz, CEO of LOT Polish Airlines. “Both the Management Board and the employees of LOT face a major challenge, but I am convinced that, though with some sacrifices, we will make it together,” added Sebastian Mikosz.

The CEO emphasized that the most important factors when analysing and developing a network of destinations were their profitability and the objective of increasing the number of flights on those routes where LOT invariably has a strong position. Such measures are a chance to increase profitability and put the company on the right track in a short time. The adjustments will be introduced in the new 2013 Summer Season flight schedule, which is to be launched on 31 March this year.

The national air carrier will certainly maintain its flagship direct long-haul flights from Warsaw across the Atlantic: to Chicago, New York and Toronto. The fact that LOT has operated on those routes for more than 40 years proves that the Polish air carrier has maintained its dominating position on those markets. Transatlantic flights also play a major role in transit traffic in CEE. The summer season is a busy period in the aviation industry, which is why LOT has already increased in its booking systems the frequency of summer flights to Chicago and New York (11 flights a week to each respective destination).

One of the pillars of the LOT’s network of destinations is strengthening and maintaining business destinations, due to the fact that the Polish carrier offers flights to all the most important European capitals and business centres, such as for example Brussels, Geneva, London or Moscow, within a convenient business schedule. LOT Polish Airlines are also the only traditional carrier to offer direct flights from Warsaw to many European cities, like Madrid, Milan or Stockholm, as well as reports a constant growth of passenger traffic on popular routes, where it competes with other carriers, such as to London, Paris or Amsterdam.

The Polish carrier offers extensive transit traffic, first of all by “filling in” the Transatlantic traffic. LOT’s schedule of flights is adjusted to changovers in Warsaw so as to offer the shortest possible waiting time for LOT’s connecting flights at the Warsaw airport. Some of the destinations that handle mostly transit traffic are: Budapest, Prague, Bucharest, Sofia, Ukrainian destinations and other routes from East Europe.

LOT, as the Star Alliance member, will continue close cooperation with other partner airlines on German and Austrian destinations by complementing their offer for passengers. Moreover, the new schedule of flights of LOT Polish Airlines has a different frequency of flights to selected destinations. For example, there are additional evening flights on such routes as Warsaw-Prague – compared to the 2012 summer season, Warsaw-Berlin – compared to the winter schedule, or Warsaw-Zurich – with as many as 12 flights per week for business passengers. The 3 flights per week to Beijing have been maintained, too.

Some destinations have a large potential for growth, which made LOT Polish Airlines increase the frequency of flights to Tbilisi (Georgia) to seven per week.

The CEO of LOT Polish Airlines also revealed the routes that are below financial expectations and have negative economic forecasts, and as such will not be included in the 2013 Summer Season. Given the current difficult economic situation of the Company, the destinations that generate losses and are not likely to yield better financial results are: Yerevan, Krakow-Paris, Donetsk and Cairo.