How is LOT Polish Airlines' traffic developing?
Yann Saint-Sorny - Following our restructuring at 2015We launched a six-year development plan in 2016. And the results are remarkable. We have a network of 105 destinations compared to 45 in 2015 and we should be carrying more than ten million passengers this year. Our ambition is to be a global carrier throughout Central Europe.
The intercontinental network took off a decade ago. What are its priorities?
Yann Saint-Sorny - We began by developing our network in North America, opening flights to Chicago and Los Angeles in just a few years, Miami, New York/Newark and Toronto. August will see the launch of four weekly flights to San Francisco. But it is above all on theEurope-Asia axis that the company wishes to position itself. We are ideally located on this route, as most European airlines flying to Asia regularly pass over Poland. We serve Astana, Tokyo, SingaporeBeijing and Seoul. We have also just inaugurated Budapest-Seoul. From Warsaw, we launched five flights a week to Delhi in September and we are opening three weekly flights to Colombo at the beginning of November. We are also going to add three flights a week to the United States. new Beijing-Daxing airport in addition to our four weekly flights to Beijing-Capital. Other Asian routes should follow, probably to more cities in China...
What type of aircraft is used on the intercontinental route?
Yann Saint-Sorny - We've been flying Boeing 787s since 2013. We now have 12 and are due to receive three more. These aircraft offer excellent comfort with a three-class configuration, in Business, Economy Premium and Classic Economy.
We are planning to reopen in Lyon
What is the position of the French market?
Yann Saint-Sorny - It's one of the biggest markets in Europe, along with Germany, the UK and Scandinavia. Admittedly, it has been less of a priority in its development in recent years than Germany and Scandinavia, but I think we should see some changes in the short term. We currently offer three flights a day to Paris CDG-Warsaw and a daily flight to Nice. We have a project to reopen on Lyona destination we served until 2008. We'd also like to serve Marseille. It all depends on the type of aircraft, but Embraer aircraft would ideally have a capacity of 90 to 110 seats.
What role does Budapest play in your strategy?
Yann Saint-Sorny - Budapest has become our second hub, since there is no longer a Hungarian national airline. We have flights to half a dozen cities, including London City Airport, Warsaw and Seoul. Next March, we will be increasing the number of daily flights to Brussels. There are also plans for summer 2020 services from Budapest to Central Europe, including Belgrade, Bucharest and Prague. Budapest has a bright future.
