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Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT (IATA airline code: LO / ICAO airline code: LOT) is a Polish airline.
Today the company employs 4,200 people and reaches 49 destinations in 31 countries. Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport is their home base and main hub. The name Polskie Linie Lotnicze means Polish Airlines, while LOT means 'the flight'.
History
The airline was founded on January 1, 1929 when all private airlines in the country were merged into one. The first types of aircraft used are Junkers F 13, Fokker F.VIIb.
Accepted into IATA in 1930, LOT received a IATA airline code of LO. The first international service to Bucharest was started since April 1, 1930, followed by Athens, Beirut and Helsinki. Douglas DC-2 and Lockheed L.10A Electra joined the fleet in 1935 and 1936 respectively.
Service of LOT was suspened during the Second World War, and all its aircraft were either destroyed or detained. In 1945, seven years after the service was suspened, the airline restart its operation after receiving 10 Lisunov Li-2 and 9 Douglas DC-3. Domestic service restarted on April 1, 1945, while International service restarted on May 11, 1945.
Five SNCASE SE.161 Languadocs joined the fleet in July 1947. Then Ilyushin Il-12B in April 1949, followed by newer Ilyushin Il-14 in 1955. Convair 240 and Vickers Viscount was acquired in October 1957 and November 1962.
Under the rule of communist government, fleet update of LOT continued using Soviet Aircraft. Ilyushin Il-18 was introduced in May 1961, lead to the establish of route to Africa and Middle East. Antonov An-24 was delivered in April 1966, followed by Tupolev Tu-134 in November 1968 and Ilyushin Il-62 long range jetliner in April 1973. The introduction of Il-62 enable the transatlantic service to Montreal and New York.
Changing of fleet from Soviet to Western was started in late 1980s, when Boeing 767-200ER was acquired in April 1989, followed by ATR72-200 in August 1991, Boeing 737-500 in December 1992 and 737-400 in April 1993. LOT became a joint-stock company in November 1992, the state is currently keeping 51% of the share.
On October 26, 2003, it became the fifteenth member of the Star Alliance. The current planes' livery was introduced in 1978.
Subsidiaries
LOT have a wholly-owned subsidiary airline "EuroLOT" (ICAO Airline Code : ELO), which was founded on July 1, 1997. EuroLOT is currently operating 8 ATR72-200 and 5 ATR42-200.
Fleet
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