LOT Polish Airlines facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
LOT Polish Airlines
Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A.

Founded	29 December 1928; 96 years ago (1928-12-29)
Commenced operations	1 January 1929; 96 years ago (1929-01-01)
Hubs	Warsaw–Chopin
Focus cities	Katowice Kraków Warsaw–Radom
Frequent-flyer program	Miles & More
Alliance	Star Alliance
Subsidiaries	LOT Charters LOT Cargo
Fleet size	74
Destinations	145
Parent company	Polish Aviation Group
Headquarters	Warsaw, Poland
Key people	Michał Fijoł (CEO)
Revenue	US$ 1.86 billion (2022)
Operating income	US$ 72.3 million (2017)
Net income	US$ 25.5 million (2022)
Profit	US$ 93.8 million (2017)
Total assets	US$ 1.39 billion (2017)
Total equity	US$ 104.4 million (2017)
Employees	2,167

LOT Polish Airlines is the main airline of Poland. It's also known as Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A. The word "LOT" means "flight" in Polish.

This airline is one of the oldest in the world that is still flying today. It was also one of the first members of a group called IATA, which helps airlines work together.

As of 2023, LOT Polish Airlines has a fleet of 75 planes. They fly to 145 places in Poland and around the world. These places include cities in Europe, Asia, and North America.

The airline started on December 29, 1928. The Polish government created it by combining two older airlines. Flights officially began on January 1, 1929.

In the 1930s, LOT grew a lot. They added more flights inside Poland and to other countries. By 1939, their routes covered over 10,250 kilometers! They also bought new planes like the Douglas DC-2 and Lockheed Electra. In 1934, the airline moved its main operations to the new Warsaw Okęcie Airport.

However, when World War II started in 1939, LOT had to stop all its flights. Most of their planes were moved to other countries to keep them safe.

After the war, LOT started flying again in 1945. For a while, they mostly used planes made in the Soviet Union. This was because Poland became a Soviet satellite state after 1948. LOT began flying to cities in Europe, the Middle East, and even started flights to North America in the early 1970s.

After 1989, when communism ended in Poland, LOT started using planes made in Western countries. They bought Boeing 767 planes for long flights. In 2003, LOT joined the Star Alliance, which is a big group of airlines that work together.

In recent years, the airline faced some challenges. They tried to become a private company, but it didn't work out. They also had to stop flights for a short time because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of LOT's flights start from its main base, called a hub, at Warsaw Chopin Airport. Since 2018, LOT has also flown a long route from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Hungary to Seoul all year.

History of LOT Polish Airlines

Early Years Before World War II

A three-engine Fokker F.VIIB-3m plane with skis, used by LOT on the Warsaw-Bucharest route.

Passengers getting off a LOT Douglas DC-2 plane before the war.

When LOT was founded in 1928, the Polish government owned most of the company. Other parts were owned by a region called Silesia and the city of Poznań.

In the early 1930s, LOT added new flights to cities like Bydgoszcz and Katowice. They already flew to Kraków, Poznań, Gdańsk, and Lwów. In 1932, flights to Wilno began.

Around this time, in 1931, LOT chose its famous "Flying Crane" logo. A visual artist from Warsaw, Tadeusz Gronowski, designed it. This logo is still used by the airline today!

The first LOT logo from 1929, designed by Tadeusz Gronowski.

In the same year, LOT started its first international flight with multiple stops. This route went from Warsaw to Lwów, then Czerniowce, and finally Bucharest. In the following years, they added flights to Berlin, Athens, Helsinki, and Budapest. By 1939, LOT's routes stretched for 10,250 kilometers, reaching places like Beirut, Rome, and Copenhagen.

New planes like the Douglas DC-2, Lockheed Model 10A Electra, and Model 14H Super Electra joined the fleet between 1935 and 1938. In 1934, LOT moved its main offices and workshops to the new, modern Warsaw Okęcie Airport. This was a big improvement from their old base, which was becoming too close to the city.

In 1938, LOT changed its name slightly because of a change in Polish spelling. That same year, a special test flight was made from Los Angeles to Warsaw. This flight aimed to see if it was possible to start passenger flights between Poland and the United States. It was a success! There were even plans to fly to London, Moscow, and across the Atlantic in 1940.

LOT had carried 218,000 passengers before World War II started on September 1, 1939. During the war, the airline stopped all operations. Most of LOT's planes were moved to Romania, and some to other countries, to keep them safe.

LOT During the Polish People's Republic (Communist Era)

A LOT Ilyushin Il-18 landing at Rome Ciampino Airport in 1977.

After the war, the Polish government officially restarted LOT on March 10, 1945. It became a company owned by the state. Because of the Cold War, LOT mainly used planes made in the Soviet Union.

In 1946, LOT received Soviet-built planes and some Douglas C-47s. Both flights within Poland and international flights started again that year. The first international destinations included Berlin, Paris, Stockholm, and Prague. In 1947, routes to Bucharest, Budapest, Belgrade, and Copenhagen were added.

A few Western planes were bought after 1955, like the Convair 240s and Vickers Viscounts. But after that, LOT's fleet became almost entirely Soviet-made aircraft. In 1955, LOT began flights to Moscow and Vienna. Flights to London, Zürich, and Rome were restarted later.

A LOT Tupolev Tu-134 arriving at Frankfurt in 1974.

In June 1961, nine Ilyushin Il-18 turboprop planes were added. This allowed LOT to start flights to Africa and the Middle East. In 1963, LOT expanded its routes to Cairo. In the 1970s, they added flights to Baghdad, Beirut, and Tunis.

The Antonov An-24 planes were delivered starting in April 1966. The first jet planes, the Tupolev Tu-134, arrived in November 1968. These jets were used for flights in Europe. The Ilyushin Il-62 long-range jet allowed LOT to start its first flights across the Atlantic Ocean. They flew to Toronto in 1972 and New York City in 1973. In 1977, LOT began flying to its first Far East destination, Bangkok, with stops in Dubai and Bombay.

A LOT Ilyushin Il-62 at Heathrow Airport in 1984.

In 1977, the airline introduced its current look, called a livery. This design, with a large "LOT" written in blue on the front of the plane and a blue tail, is still used today. The original crane logo from 1929 has stayed the same through all these changes.

In 1981, during a difficult time in Poland, all LOT flights were temporarily stopped. Charter flights to New York and Chicago started again in 1984. Regular flights were fully restored in 1985. Tupolev Tu-154 planes were bought and used for most European and Middle East routes. By 1986, transatlantic charter flights also reached Detroit and Los Angeles.

LOT Polish Airlines After 1989

After the end of communism in Poland in 1989, LOT started using Western-made planes again. They bought Boeing 767–200 planes in 1989 and Boeing 767–300 in 1990. They also added ATR 72 and Boeing 737 planes. From the mid-1980s to early 1990s, LOT flew from Warsaw to many North American cities. These flights were mainly for the large number of Polish people living there.

LOT was one of the first airlines in Central Europe to use American planes like the Boeing 767. These planes helped LOT fly its longest route ever, to Singapore. By the end of 1989, LOT had carried 2.3 million passengers in one year, which was a big achievement.

A Boeing 767-200 from LOT arriving at Zurich Airport in 1997.

In 1990, LOT received its third Boeing 767–300. Soon after, Boeing 737 and ATR 72 planes were bought to expand LOT's network. New international places like Kyiv, Lviv, Minsk, and Vilnius were added. In 1993, LOT expanded its flights to Western Europe, adding Oslo, Frankfurt, and Düsseldorf. They also increased flights from other airports in Poland.

In 1994, LOT made an agreement with American Airlines to share flights. This meant passengers could easily connect between both airlines' flights in the US and Poland. LOT also started flights to Thessaloniki, Zagreb, and Nice. An airline report said that in this year, LOT had the newest fleet of planes in the world!

In 1997, LOT created a sister airline called EuroLOT. This airline took over domestic flights in Poland. The idea was to help more passengers travel through Warsaw's Chopin Airport and make LOT a bigger transit airline in Central and Eastern Europe. By 1999, LOT bought smaller Embraer 145 jets for shorter flights.

LOT became the eleventh full member of Star Alliance in 2003. This is a Boeing 737-500 with the alliance's special paint (2009).

LOT's network continued to grow in the early 2000s. Warsaw Chopin Airport became a major airport for connecting flights. In 2000, LOT received its largest order of 11 new planes. By 2001, they had carried 3 million passengers in one year! This growth led to new buildings and offices for LOT. On October 26, 2003, LOT became the 14th member of the Star Alliance.

In 2006, a new base opened at the rebuilt Warsaw Chopin Airport. This allowed LOT to fully develop its potential as a transit airline. The new airport was much bigger than any before it in Poland.

LOT also created a low-cost airline called Centralwings in 2004. However, it was closed down after five years because it wasn't making enough money.

Recent Developments for LOT

The economy class cabin inside a LOT Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane.

In 2008, LOT started a new flight to Beijing, but it only lasted a month. This was because they didn't have permission to fly over Siberia from the Russian government. This made the flights too long and not profitable.

In 2010, LOT started new flights to Yerevan (Armenia), Beirut (Lebanon), and resumed flights to Tallinn (Estonia), Kaliningrad (Russia), Gothenburg (Sweden), and Bratislava (Slovakia). They used their newly bought Embraer planes for these routes. In October 2010, LOT restarted flights to Asia with three weekly flights to Hanoi. They also added flights to Tbilisi, Damascus, and Cairo.

LOT celebrated its 80th birthday in 2009. A Boeing 737-400 was painted gold for the event.

In 2010, LOT stopped flights between Kraków and the US cities of Chicago and New York. They said it wasn't profitable enough. The planes used for these routes were then moved to serve the Warsaw-Hanoi route.

In 2011, LOT's CEO announced that the airline would replace its fleet. They started with Embraer E-Jets. For flights within Poland, LOT bought Dash 8-Q400 planes.

A former LOT Boeing 767–300ER with the Star Alliance paint scheme.

In 2011, an agreement was made with the Russian government for LOT to fly over Siberia. This made it possible for LOT to start flights to Tokyo in 2016 and resume Beijing flights.

LOT also announced its "East meets West" plan. This plan aimed to add more Asian destinations to its schedule. It would use LOT's location as a transit airline and the growing number of passengers flying between Europe and Asia. As part of this plan, LOT introduced a premium economy class on its Boeing 787 planes. These planes also have lie-flat seats in business class and personal entertainment systems.

A LOT Boeing 787–8 Dreamliner arriving at London Heathrow Airport in 2015.

In 2012, LOT announced that all its New York flights would use JFK Terminal 1. They also made an agreement with JetBlue to offer more connecting flights for their customers.

In 2015, after a plan to help the airline become profitable again, LOT announced new long-haul routes to Asia and North America.

A LOT Embraer 190 leaving Rome Fiumicino Airport.

In 2016, LOT confirmed it would lease six Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes, with options for five more. They also planned to add more Boeing 787 planes, bringing the total to 16. The airline is looking at new planes like the Airbus A220 and Airbus A350 XWB for future growth.

In 2018, two new planes (this Boeing 787–9 Dreamliner and a Boeing 737 MAX 8) were painted to celebrate Poland's independence. This one is approaching John F. Kennedy International Airport.

In May 2018, LOT Polish Airlines started scheduled flights from outside Poland. These included long-haul flights to New York and Chicago from Budapest airport in Hungary. In 2019, they started flying from Vilnius (Lithuania) to London City airport and from Tallinn (Estonia) to Brussels and Stockholm. However, the last two flights were stopped in early 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In January 2020, the owner of LOT, the Polish Aviation Group, announced it would buy another airline called Condor Flugdienst. But in April 2020, the deal fell through.

LOT temporarily stopped most flights on March 15, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Flights within Poland restarted on June 1, 2020, and international flights slowly resumed from July 1, 2020.

How LOT is Organized

Ownership of the Airline

The main office of LOT.

Currently, LOT Polish Airlines is fully owned by the Polish Aviation Group. This is a company owned by the Polish government.

LOT was planned to become a private company in 2011. There were talks with Turkish Airlines, but the deal didn't happen. This was partly because Turkish Airlines, being from outside the European Union, couldn't own most of the airline.

LOT started making a profit again in 2016. The government at the time said this was because of their policies.

Other Companies Connected to LOT

Current companies owned by LOT

• LOT Charters: This company is fully owned by LOT. It operates special flights for Polish tour companies.
• LOT Flight Academy: This is where pilots are trained.

Former companies connected to LOT

• Nordica: LOT owned 49% of this airline between 2016 and 2020.
• EuroLOT: This used to be a fully owned airline by LOT, started in 1997. It was later closed down in 2015, and most of its planes were moved to LOT.
• Centralwings: This was a low-cost airline that operated from 2004 to 2009. It was closed because it wasn't profitable.

Where LOT Flies

LOT Polish Airlines flies to many cities in Europe. They also have flights to places in Asia, the Middle East, and North America.

Agreements with Other Airlines

LOT Polish Airlines has agreements with other airlines to share flights. This means you can sometimes book a flight with LOT, but fly on a plane from another airline. These agreements are called codeshare agreements:

LOT's Planes

Planes LOT Uses Now

As of March 2024^[update], LOT Polish Airlines uses the following planes:

Planes LOT Used in the Past

How LOT's Fleet Has Grown

• In 2005, LOT ordered seven Boeing 787-8s for its long-haul flights. They were the first European airline to operate the 787.
• In 2010, LOT changed some orders for Embraer E-175 planes to Embraer E-195 planes.
• In 2010, the Polish Ministry of National Defence leased two E175 planes from LOT. These are used to fly government officials.
• In 2016, the airline signed agreements for eleven leased Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes.
• In 2018, LOT announced they would buy three more Boeing 787–9 planes. This would bring their total of Boeing 787s to fifteen.
• In 2022, LOT announced they are looking at the Airbus A220 to replace their current Embraer Regional Jet fleet. They are considering an order for 60 jets.

How LOT Planes Look (Livery)

When LOT received its new Boeing 787 planes in 2011/12, they introduced a new look for their planes. This design kept the traditional feel of LOT but made some small changes. For example, the blue nose and the long blue stripe along the side of the plane were removed. The words "POLSKIE LINIE LOTNICZE" on the side were changed to "POLISH AIRLINES". The tail design was only slightly changed, with the colors of the crane logo being swapped.

Some Embraer planes have special advertising designs. One E-175 was even painted to look like a retro plane from the 1945 era.

Plane Look: 1935–1939, 1945–1956

Planes were mostly shiny silver metal. They had a black crane logo on the tail and a small black "POLSKIE LINIE LOTNICZE „LOT"" written on the side. After World War II, planes still looked similar. The Polish flag was added to the tail in the late 1940s. In the early 1950s, a thin blue stripe was added below the windows.

Plane Look: 1956–1976

This look featured a wide blue stripe along the windows. The top part of the plane was white, and the bottom was unpainted. Later, the design was updated with a blue tail fin and a larger Polish flag.

Plane Look: 1977–2010s

LOT's most famous look was introduced in 1977 and hasn't changed much. Planes are mostly white with blue details. There's a dark blue area under the cockpit windows, a long blue stripe along the side, and the large traditional crane logo on the tail.

Naming of Aircraft

Older Ilyushin Il-62 planes were named after famous Polish people. The first one was named Mikołaj Kopernik. The five Boeing 767s that LOT ordered were named after Polish cities. However, this practice was not continued for the Boeing 787s. Only LOT's sixth 787, SP-LRF, was named 'Franek' after an online vote.

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  A Li-2 in the 1960s livery.

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  SP-LSB, an Ilyushin IL-18V in the pre-1970s livery.

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  A LOT Embraer 170 in the 1970s livery.

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  A LOT Embraer 170 in the 2010s livery.

Loyalty Program and Lounges

Miles & More Program

LOT uses Lufthansa's frequent-flyer program called Miles & More. This program lets you earn miles when you fly with LOT or other Star Alliance airlines. You can also earn miles with LOT credit cards or by buying things from LOT shops.

Your membership level in Miles & More depends on how many miles you fly in a year. Levels include Basic, Frequent Traveller (Silver), Senator (Gold), and HON Circle (Black). Higher levels offer more benefits like access to airport lounges and bonus miles.

Polonez Lounge

LOT operates the 'Polonez' Business Lounge at Warsaw Chopin Airport. You can use this lounge if you have a business class ticket with LOT or any other Star Alliance airline. You can also enter if you are a Star Alliance 'Gold' member.

The lounge offers many services, including meeting rooms, internet access, and places to work. You can also find newspapers and magazines in different languages, and use an Apple iPad. LOT also opened a Polonez Lounge at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport in 2018.

Plane Incidents and Accidents

Serious Accidents with Fatalities

• On December 1, 1936, a LOT Lockheed Model 10 Electra plane crashed near Malakasa, Greece, due to fog. One pilot died, and six people were hurt.
• On December 28, 1936, another LOT Lockheed Model 10 Electra crashed near Susiec, Poland, because of ice. Two passengers and a mechanic died, and three people were injured.
• On November 11, 1937, a LOT Lockheed Model 10 Electra crashed near Warsaw during landing in bad weather. Four passengers died.
• On November 23, 1937, a LOT Douglas DC-2 plane crashed in Bulgaria's Pirin Mountains in bad weather. All six people on board died.
• On July 22, 1938, a LOT Lockheed 14H Super Electra crashed into a hill in Romania. All 14 people on board died. The cause was unknown, but it might have been hit by lightning.
• On November 15, 1951, a LOT Lisunov Li-2 plane crashed near Tuszyn in bad weather. All 15 passengers and three crew members died.
• On March 19, 1954, one passenger died when a LOT Li-2 plane crashed into a hill near Gruszowiec.
• On June 14, 1957, Flight 232 from Warsaw to Moscow, an Ilyushin Il-14, crashed while trying to land in bad weather. Five of eight passengers and four of five crew members died.
• On August 25, 1960, a LOT Li-2 plane crashed near Tczew during a survey flight, killing six people.
• On December 19, 1962, a LOT Vickers Viscount 804 plane crashed while landing at Warsaw-Okecie Airport. All 28 passengers and five crew members died.
• On August 20, 1965, another LOT Vickers Viscount crashed near Jeuk, Belgium, during a thunderstorm. The four people on board died.
• On April 2, 1969, a LOT Antonov An-24W plane crashed into Polica mountain near Zawoja. All 48 passengers and five crew members on board Flight 165 died. The pilots got lost in a snowstorm.
• On May 13, 1977, a LOT Antonov An-12 cargo plane crashed near Aramoun, Lebanon. All nine people on board died.
• On March 14, 1980, LOT Flight 007 from New York City to Warsaw crashed during a landing attempt at Warsaw-Okecie Airport. All 77 passengers and 10 crew members on the Ilyushin Il-62 plane died.
• On March 26, 1981, a LOT An-24 plane crash-landed near Słupsk. One passenger died in a fire after the crash.
• On May 9, 1987, LOT Flight 5055, flying from Warsaw to New York, crashed in the Kabaty forest. All 172 passengers and 11 crew members died. This was the deadliest accident in LOT's history. The Ilyushin Il-62 plane had an engine problem that damaged its controls.
• On November 2, 1988, LOT Flight 703 had to make an emergency landing in a field near Rzeszów after an engine failed. One passenger died.

Other Incidents and Accidents

• On August 18, 1938, a LOT Lockheed 14H Super Electra plane was destroyed by fire in Bucharest.
• On March 28, 1950, a LOT Douglas DC-3 plane was badly damaged in a crash landing.
• On March 29, 1950, another LOT plane, a Lisunov Li-2, was lost in a crash.
• On May 19, 1952, a LOT Li-2 plane was badly damaged in a crash landing near Sowina.
• On July 18, 1952, an Ilyushin Il-12 plane was damaged in a crash landing at Warsaw-Okecie Airport.
• On March 15, 1953, a LOT Douglas DC-3 plane crashed near Katowice.
• On April 14, 1955, a Lisunov Li-2 crashed near Katowice, but no one died.
• On April 11, 1958, a LOT Convair CV-240 plane crash-landed near Warsaw after losing a propeller. All four people on board survived.
• On December 16, 1963, a Lisunov Li-2T plane was badly damaged when it went off the runway during landing. All 12 passengers and three crew survived.
• On January 24, 1969, a LOT Antonov An-24 plane crashed into trees during a landing attempt at Wrocław in poor visibility. All 44 passengers and four crew survived.
• On April 19, 1973, an Antonov An-24 plane crashed during a training flight near Rzeszów.
• On January 23, 1980, a Tupolev Tu-134 plane was badly damaged when it went off the runway and caught fire during landing at Warsaw-Okecie Airport.
• On December 31, 1993, a Boeing 767-300ER plane had significant damage to its nose gear during a hard landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport.
• On November 1, 2011, a Boeing 767-300ER plane, Flight 16, had problems with its landing gear. The pilots had to make a very rare landing without the landing gear down. The pilot, Tadeusz Wrona, landed the plane safely with no injuries.
• On January 10, 2018, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 plane had landing gear issues. It made an emergency landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport, which was closed for four hours. No one was hurt.

Seeking Freedom During the Cold War

During the Cold War, when Europe was divided, some LOT planes were forced to land in Western countries. People on board often wanted to seek political asylum, which means asking for protection in another country. They wanted to live in a different country.

• On September 16, 1949, five people forced a LOT flight from Gdańsk to Łódź to go to Sweden.
• On December 16, 1949, another plane on the same route was forced to go to Denmark. 16 people asked for political asylum.
• On October 16, 1969, a LOT Antonov An-24 plane was forced to go to West Berlin.
• Another An-24 hijacking happened on November 20, 1969, when two passengers forced the pilots to land in Vienna.
• On June 5, 1970, a LOT An-24 with 24 people was forced to land in Copenhagen, Denmark.
• On June 9, 1970, another attempt to force a plane to change its route happened on a LOT flight, but the people involved were stopped.
• On August 7, 1970, a passenger on a LOT An-24 forced the pilots to go to Germany.
• On August 19, 1970, five passengers on a LOT Ilyushin Il-14 forced the pilots to go to Denmark.
• On August 26, 1970, three people on a LOT An-24 demanded to go to Austria. The pilots returned to Katowice, where they were arrested.
• On November 4, 1976, a LOT Tupolev Tu-134 was forced to land in Vienna.
• On April 24, 1977, another LOT Tu-134 was forced to change its route, but the plane returned to Kraków, and the person was arrested.
• Another attempt was stopped on October 18, 1977, on a LOT An-24.
• On August 30, 1978, Flight 165 was forced to land in West Berlin. Six people decided to seek political asylum.
• On December 4, 1980, a LOT An-24 was forced to land in West Berlin.
• On January 10, 1981, another attempt on an An-24 happened, but the plane landed in Warsaw, and the people were arrested.
• An Antonov An-24 was forced to land in West Berlin on July 21, 1981.
• On August 5, 1981, another attempt on an An-24 was stopped.
• On August 11, 1981, another attempt on an An-24 was stopped.
• On August 22, 1981, a person succeeded in forcing an An-24 to go to West Berlin.
• On September 18, 1981, twelve passengers on an An-24 demanded to go to West Berlin. The plane landed there.
• On September 22, 1981, four passengers tried to force a LOT flight to change its route, but the plane returned to Warsaw, and they were arrested.
• A week later, on September 29, 1981, one person demanded an Antonov An-12 to go to West Berlin, but the pilots landed the plane in Warsaw.
• On April 30, 1982, eight passengers forced a LOT An-24 to go to West Berlin.
• On June 9, 1982, two people on a LOT flight demanded to go to West Germany. The plane landed in Poland, and they were arrested.
• On August 25, 1982, two passengers forced a LOT flight from Budapest to Warsaw, an Ilyushin Il-18, to go to Munich.
• On November 22, 1982, the flight from Wrocław to Warsaw was forced to land in West Berlin.

Other Incidents

• On February 25, 1993, a man tried to force his way onto a LOT ATR 72 plane at Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport. Police stopped him.

See also

In Spanish: LOT Polish Airlines para niños

• Transport in Poland
• List of airlines
• LOT Charters
• Nordica (airline)