LOT Polish will continue to expand its hub at Liszt Ferenc International Airport in Budapest, including introducing new service to Asia.
With the demise of Malev, the former flag carrier of Hungary, in 2012, LOT Polish saw an opening to expand its central European market beyond Warsaw. It now operates an intra-European network from Budapest (BUD) as well as transatlantic service to both Chicago (ORD) and New York (JFK). Over the last year, LOT has grown 88% at Budapest.
In September, LOT will add thrice-weekly service on the Boeing 787-8 to Seoul Incheon (ICN). The service will begin on 22 September 2019 and operate on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. The return from Seoul will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
- LOT flight 2001 Budapest – BUD 1225 – 0605+1 Seoul – ICN 787-8
- LOT flight 2002 Seoul – ICN 0730 – 1315 Budapest – BUD 787-8
Seats are already for sale on the new flights and there is award space available in both cabins, even on the inaugural flight on 22 September.
Note that LOT will suspend its Budapest to Chicago service between 27 October 2019 and 28 March 2020, but resume it next spring.
In 2020, LOT will also commence or increase service to the following six airports from Budapest:
- Belgrade (BEG)
- Brussels (BRU)
- Bucharest (OTP)
- Prague (PRG)
- Sofia (SOF)
- Stuttgart (STR)
Due to the continued 737 MAX groundings, schedules have not been released.
CONCLUSION
Ultimately, LOT seeks to expand its annual passenger numbers from 10 million to 25 million. That will require quite a robust expansion of both its Warsaw and Budapest hubs.
It has been a few years now since I took a longhaul flight on LOT, a 787-8 form Chicago to Warsaw. I’m ready to try the carrier again and look forward to doing so.
> Read More: LOT Polish Plans To Create Hub In Budapest
image: LOT
Flying them BUD-ORD in Oct.
Have wanted to fly business in the NYC-BUD route (great availability) but the scheduling is tough (I’d need to take a half day at work for the 530 flight, many other Europe routes available with ~7pm or later departures.
Oh well.
ICN seems like an odd choice to me. Will there be a lot of O/D originating in Korea on this flight?
Fly ORD-KRK. One of their most unique routes as it’s not from WAW or BUD. Also, KRK is LO’s second hub in Poland, with most services out of all regional airports.
Furthermore it is an absolute gem of a city – you will love it. Think better preserved, less touristy Prague.
Much (most?) of the J award space between North America and Warsaw that you see on united.com is phantom inventory. Try booking it and it will fail.
There’s a lot of phantom inventory on multiple United partners right now. Dirty Little Secret.