Paris Air Show 2025: Airbus’s Grand Entry into Poland

The agreement was signed during the Paris Air Show 2025. It covers the delivery of 40 Airbus A220 aircraft under the firm order and a further 44 under options. Deliveries under the firm order will begin in 2027; those under the optional tranche may be delivered from 2032 onwards. 

At the signing ceremony, PLL LOT President Michał Fijoł confirmed that the competition for the contract had been fierce. Two submitted bids were competitive, but in the end Airbus prevailed, with Embraer coming in second. Under the firm order, it is planned to deliver 20 Airbus A220‑100s and the same number of Airbus A220‑300s. They will replace first‑generation Embraer aircraft, which are already uneconomical to operate, are ageing, and consume large amounts of fuel—hence high CO₂ emissions. Second‑generation Embraers will remain in service a little longer but will also eventually need replacing. Once deliveries of the first batch begin, an evaluation will be carried out and, based on its results, PLL LOT will decide how many aircraft to take up under the option in the A220‑100 version and how many in the A220‑300 version. 

President Fijoł emphasized that the A220, which will in future be the backbone of PLL LOT’s regional fleet, better fits the carrier’s development concept. This concept envisages expanding the route network, also in the context of the construction of the Central Communication Port (CPK). On the occasion of signing the contract, he thanked Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak, stressing that this agreement constitutes an important pillar for securing the future of PLL LOT. 

This agreement is the single largest passenger‑aircraft contract in PLL LOT’s history and, at the same time, the largest contract Airbus has ever concluded with Poland. Until now, PLL LOT’s fleet has been based on Boeing and Embraer aircraft. It is worth noting that the European aerospace and defence giant is also involved in deliveries to the Polish Armed Forces. They currently operate Airbus‑produced C295M transport aircraft, and in 2022 they also purchased Pleiades optical‑electronic satellites. Airbus also offers the Polish military transport helicopters, A400M transport aircraft, and MRTT multi‑role transport‑tanker aircraft. Airbus also owns facilities at Okęcie, which carry out operations- support, modernization, and component production for the C295M; in 2022 they also completed the modernization of the Orlik aircraft to the TC‑II standard. 

The Airbus A220‑100 and A220‑300 serve regional routes, on distances of up to approximately 6,700 km. They can carry up to 135 passengers (A220‑100) or 160 passengers (A220‑300), with maximum take‑off weights of 63.7 t and 70.9 t, respectively. These single‑aisle aircraft entered service in the previous decade of this century and were designed from the ground up to significantly reduce fuel consumption. The aircraft began life as a Bombardier project in Canada, then—from 2017—was produced and developed by the Airbus‑Bombardier joint venture. Since 2020, after Bombardier sold its stake, it has been exclusively an Airbus project, though Airbus Canada still has 25 percent ownership by the government of the Canadian province of Quebec, and the aircraft is manufactured with substantial Canadian‑industry participation.