LOT Polish Airlines to acquire 49% in Nordica’s Regional Jet

LOT Polish Airlines has agreed to acquire a 49% stake in Estonian flag carrier Nordica’s Regional Jet subsidiary as the Polish flag carrier aims to strengthen its presence in Central and Eastern Europe. Both carriers would preserve their national identities. Starting Nov. 19, LOT will use its designator from Tallinn, Estonia, on routes to Brussels, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Vienna, Kiev, Vilnius, Oslo and Trondheim. Flights between Tallinn and Munich will be served by LOT, which bases one Embraer regional jet temporarily in Tallinn, Estonia. Initially, two Nordica Bombardier CRJ900s will operate from LOT’s Warsaw hub, which will rise to three later on. The cooperation enables LOT to continue its growth strategy while reducing the need for additional cockpit and cabin crews. On Oct. 13, the Star Alliance member agreed to lease up to 11 Boeing 737 MAX 8s from US lessor Air Lease Corp. for delivery in 2017-2020.<br/>