LOT Becomes the First European Carrier to Receive a Boeing 787

LOT Polish Airlines took delivery on November 14 of its first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, becoming the first European airline to receive a 787.

Senior LOT Polish Airlines and Boeing executives, as well as Polish and US government officials, celebrated the delivery at an event at the Future of Flight Aviation Center in Mukilteo, Washington, near Boeing’s 787 final assembly plant in Everett.

LOT Polish Airlines’ first Boeing 787 takes off on its delivery flight to Warsaw on November 14, 2012

“This is a historic moment for LOT,” said Marcin Pirog, chief executive officer of LOT. “I am convinced that the addition of the Dreamliner to the fleet of one of the world’s oldest airlines is a crucial moment that will launch a new era of European aviation. I believe it is also the beginning of an exciting journey for LOT with the most modern passenger airplane in the world.”

LOT will operate its first Boeing 787-8 on short-haul flights across Europe in December, and will introduce the Dreamliner on to its long-haul passenger service from Warsaw to Chicago in January 2013.  LOT will also use 787s to operate routes from Warsaw to New York, Toronto and Beijing.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is composed of light-weight composites and features numerous systems, engine and aerodynamic advancements. It is the first mid-sized airplane capable of flying ultra-long-range routes, providing airlines with low operating costs and enabling airlines to open new, non-stop routes preferred by passengers.

On November 14, 2012, LOT Polish Airlines received the first of eight Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners on order. The carrier is primarily using its Boeing 787s on its transatlantic routes to North America

This delivery is the first of eight 787-8 Dreamliners that LOT has on order. LOT’s 787 interiors are configured with 18 Elite Club seats (Business Class), 21 Premium Club seats (Premium Economy) and 213 seats in Economy Class.

Passengers will notice the 787’s improved lighting, bigger windows, larger overhead bins, lower cabin altitude and enhanced ventilation systems, among other features.

LOT’s first Dreamliner is due to land in Warsaw on Thursday, November 15, where LOT is celebrating the 787’s arrival into its fleet with a reception led by the airline and Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk.