If you’re flying LOT Polish Airlines from Warsaw to New York in the coming months, you might find yourself on a plane you weren’t expecting. I’d say this represents a positive change almost across the board.
In this post:
Air Belgium operating Warsaw to New York flight
LOT Polish Airlines operates daily service between Warsaw (WAW) and New York (JFK), with a flight that’s ordinarily operated by the Boeing 787, which is LOT’s only long haul aircraft. However, that will be changing over the coming months, per a schedule update that was just loaded.
From October 29, 2023, through March 30, 2024, Air Belgium will be operating on behalf of LOT on the following daily flight:
LO26 Warsaw to New York departing 4:50PM arriving 9:35PM
LO27 New York to Warsaw departing 11:35PM arriving 1:05PM (+1 day)
While this is currently only loaded through the end of the winter schedule in March 2024, it’s my understanding that this is a one year agreement, so I expect this arrangement will be extended for the summer 2024 schedule as well.
This is a wet lease arrangement, meaning that the aircraft and crew will be from Air Belgium, while you can expect the standard LOT food, drinks, and amenities.
This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen Air Belgium operate flights on behalf of LOT. Presumably it reflects that Air Belgium has some excess capacity (or at least feels it can make more money leasing out its planes than operating its own schedule), while LOT has an aircraft shortage.
For those not familiar, Air Belgium is a quirky Belgian airline, which operates scheduled flights to leisure destinations, cargo flights, and also wet leases aircraft to other airlines. Initially the plan was for Air Belgium to exclusively be a passenger airline selling its own tickets, but the airline has had mixed success with this strategy, which is presumably why it’s leasing out aircraft.
Air Belgium is currently operating on a wet lease basis for British Airways between London and Chicago, but that ends as of October 28, 2023. So I imagine that same aircraft is now headed to LOT.
What does this Air Belgium swap mean for passengers?
Should passengers booked on this Air Belgium frequency be looking forward to this change, or does it represent a downgrade? Well, I’d say that almost across the board it’s good news.
For context, LOT operates either a 787-8 or 787-9 on the route, which have the following capacity:
- LOT 787-8s have 252 seats, including 18 business class seats, 21 premium economy seats, and 213 economy class seats
- LOT 787-9s have 294 seats, including 24 business class seats, 21 premium economy seats, and 249 economy class seats
Air Belgium’s Airbus A330-900neos feature 286 seats, including:
- 30 business class seats
- 21 premium economy seats
- 235 economy seats
So to break it down:
- This represents a marginal increase in capacity, since LOT uses a 787-8 on the route most days
- This is great for business class passengers; not only will the cabin be bigger (which is good for awards), but Air Belgium has a much better business class hard product than LOT (which I just shared my thoughts on)
- I think premium economy is pretty comparable between the two airlines, and the capacity doesn’t change
- In economy, the A330-900neo offers a superior product, given the 2-4-2 layout, which is better than the 3-3-3 layout on the 787
- Air Belgium has Wi-Fi on its A330-900neos while LOT doesn’t on its 787s, so that’s another positive difference
Bottom line
Air Belgium is taking over LOT Polish Airlines’ flight between Warsaw and New York starting in late October 2023, using an Airbus A330-900neo. I’d say this is pretty great for passengers. In business class, we’re seeing more capacity, and we’re also seeing a product with direct aisle access from each seat. Meanwhile in economy, I think many will appreciate the 2-4-2 layout, which is nice for couple traveling together.
What do you make of Air Belgium operating LOT’s New York service?
I enjoyed my AB flight WAW-JFK in Business back in 2020, on A340. Belgian crew service was attentive and pleasant, without the „LOT” attitude of superiority.
Hard Product was dated, but not worse than the antiquated Business on LOT’s B787s. Which LOT still has in 2024.
Overall, a better experience.
I flew this a week ago and Business class is much worse at air Belgium vs LOT. Cabin is very narrow because “neo” is basically a repainted early 90’s aircraft and overall space and seat positioning is rather comparable to lot premium economy than business. Complete failure and degradation for business travelers. I hope this will end soon.
The question is, why is LOT doing this. I had heard back in 2019 that LOT's 787s are equipped with Rolls Royce engines, which apparently fail. LOT opted for the cheapest engines and no maintenance contract making their 787s unreliable. Why else would LOT be using Airbuses again? What is the real problem here. Is it secret? Are LOT's 787s not safe to fly?
I thought that LOT had 2 dreamliners parked in a US airplane parking yard because during the covid aircraft grounding the company decided not to take the 2 planes into service. Now I'm hearing there is an aircraft shortage? Whatever happened to those 2 registries? This article explains some of the questions, but not all of them: https://simpleflying.com/lot-delayed-boeing-787-orders/
Litigation LOT vs. Boeing about B737 MAX groundings 2021-22.
LOT took huge losses. Its’ medium-range fleet is mostly MAX8/9.
The ready B787s parked in the desert are „hostages” of the ongoing litigation.
Great! Another airline livery will be seen in JFK!
Was always wondering how wifi and inflight entertainment works in wet-lease cases: it is up to operating airline or LOT (in this case) will make an effort to load their selection of media into (likely incompatible) Air Belgium system?
Will LOT see to it that J passengers will get free wifi like it happens on "real" LOT planes?
I disagree with you. I don't think having more seats in premium cabins is good depending on the configuration. It may mean less space and more people in the cabin.
"that’s ordinarily operated by the Boeing 787, which is LOT’s only long haul aircraft"
is this accurate given my prior comment/correction???? This site has poor accuracy and corrections
Air Belgium also operated the British Airways flight from Heathrow to Chicago last week.
Are those flight times just for the week after Europe turns the clock back but before the US does? They only make sense with a 5-hour time difference (vs. the usual 6), unless there's a technical stop in BRU going westbound.
LOT has been operating 2x daily service between JFK and WAW in recent weeks - LOT 7 and 27, one a 788, the other a 789....
For the IFE, can we expect a LOT content or Air Belgium content?
I'm curious about this as well. If anyone knows the answer to this, please share!
Not the first time Air Belgium has operated for LOT into New York. They did it in 2019 from WAW to JFK in Summer.
I too Air Belgium from New York to WAW a year or two before covid via a A340. Worked out fine. Service was good. IIRC, it was complete wet lease arrangement: AB captain & cabin crew, etc.
I flew LOT round trip from New York in November 2019 and Air Belgium operated the return flight. I had bought premium economy in cash round trip, but Air Belgium did not have premium economy so I was upgraded to business class which was a nice treat. LOT was the only mainline air carrier that flew to Kaunas, Lithuania and I needed to fly there instead of Vilnius.
Boring Airline from a boring Country
What a stupid, misinformed comment. Belgium is a small country, with a rich history and plenty to see and do (and has some great food). Certainly a better corner of the world than most places in America.
Beligum is a non-country. We should stop pretending it is a country and just disband it, handing control of the respective regions back to the rightful owners Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg. And make Brussels a special administrative district of the EU juist like DC is to the US, city of London is to the UK and Hong Kong is to China.
"regions back to the rightful owners Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg"
Er, the French too?
Also, why not do the same to Switzerland as well, while we're at it?
"And make Brussels a special administrative district of the EU juist like DC is to the US, city of London is to the UK and Hong Kong is to China."
Um, what now?
Finally something about your favourite airline, Ben :) All in all, not a bad addition. Especially with the Wi-Fi on board (which is a first on LO operated flights)