Airbus has entered the race for LOT Polish Airlines’ regional fleet modernization, offering its A220 airliner in both the A220-100 and A220-300 versions.
The European aircraft manufacturer has responded to a tender for 84 regional planes organized by Poland’s national carrier. Benoit de Saint-Exupery, Airbus Vice President, confirmed to PAP Biznes the details of the offer, revealing that the two variants of the A220 are being proposed to replace LOT’s existing fleet of regional jets.
LOT Polish Airlines, which currently operates a fleet of 50 regional jets, has been aiming to modernize its aircraft with either the Airbus A220 or the Embraer E2 family. The decision is expected to be made in the coming months. If LOT chooses the A220, the fleet replacement process is expected to begin in 2026 or 2027 and continue until 2030.
While the A220 could represent Airbus’ first entry into LOT’s regional fleet, it is worth mentioning that the A220 is already in service with multiple carriers in Europe, providing a competitive alternative to the Embraer E2 series.
The A220-100 seats between 100 and 135 passengers, while the larger A220-300 accommodates 120 to 160. Both variants are capable of long-range flights, with the A220-100 offering a range of 6,390 kilometers, and the A220-300 reaching up to 6,297 kilometers.
On the other hand, Embraer’s E2 series, which is a key competitor in the tender, includes the E175-E2, E190-E2, and E195-E2. The E175-E2 can carry up to 90 passengers, the E190-E2 seats 114, and the E195-E2 accommodates up to 146 passengers. The Embraer jets generally have a lower range compared to the A220, with the E195-E2 reaching up to 4,815 kilometers, and the E190-E2 covering up to 5,278 kilometers.
The move would mark a new chapter for LOT, which has traditionally been a customer of Boeing, Embraer, Bombardier, and other aircraft manufacturers.
According to the Planespotters.com registry, LOT’s regional fleet currently consists of 16 Embraer ERJ-195s, eight ERJ-190s, 15 ERJ-175s, five ERJ-170s, and three E195-E2 jets.
