LOT Polish Airlines yesterday (1 May) started a new route between Vilnius and London City linking the Lithuanian capital city with London’s most central airport for the very first time.
The carrier is utilising its new Embraer 190s on the link and will operate up to twice a day, becoming the third successive route that LOT has commenced at London City in the space of four months, following on from Warsaw and Budapest.
LOT offers 12 flights between Vilnius and London City per week (two flights a day, from Monday to Friday, and one flight on Saturdays and Sundays), according to the following schedule:
LOT was selected by the Lithuanian Government to operate the route as public service obligation (PSO) service, with the Lithuanian authorities specifically choosing London City Airport to link the two cities.
Vilnius is the third destination in CEE launched this year by LOT Polish Airlines from London City Airport, after Budapest and Warsaw.
The new Vilnius service is the first time London City has ever had a Lithuanian link.
The new Vilnius-London City service will not only be for business. East London has the highest population of Lithuanian-born people than anywhere in the UK.
LOT Polish Airlines offers 111 scheduled connections and a total of over 80 aircraft in its fleet, and this number will continue to grow.
By the end of 2019, the fleet will be extended by four subsequent wide-body B787 Dreamliners and, as a result, the number of these aircraft will increase from 12 to 15.
LOT Polish Airlines carried 8.9 million passengers in 2018. This result is by almost 30 percent better y/y, in accordance with the company’s strategy of 2017. In 2017, 6.8 million travellers used services of the Polish national carrier. In 2019, LOT Polish Airlines plan to cross the barrier of 10 million travellers, annually.
In 2018, London City Airport welcome a record-breaking 4.8 million passengers and is currently transforming its facilities through a £500 million development programme.
