LOT Polish Airlines is to resume flights between Warsaw and Hanover, a link it last served in August 2008. The carrier will introduce a six times weekly flight from October 1, 2012 using an Embraer 170 expanding its German network to six destinations – Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Frankfurt and Munich.
Germany is one of the “most important and strategic markets” for Polish airlines, according to LOT. In 2011 an estimated 1.68 million O&D passengers travelled between Poland and Germany with LOT carrying approximately 32.1 per cent of this traffic. Alongside the point-to-point demand on the route, LOT expects to generate some transfer traffic via its Warsaw Chopin Airport hub connecting on to flights to Beijing and numerous other European cities, including Budapest and Prague.
A route previously served by Eurowings in 2001, LOT launched flights to the German city, the capital of Lower Saxony, in April 2005 through its then low-cost unit Centralwings. The carrier inaugurated its own branded services in October 2007 using an Embraer ERJ 145 but these lasted less than a year and ended in August 2008. In 2008, around 11,000 O&D passengers travelled on the route and an estimated annual demand of 6,000 remains despite there being no non-stop services.
Hanover and its surrounding areas are a well-developed economic, service and commercial centre and LOT expects to generate some relatively strong business traffic. Head offices of Volkswagen, Continental, Varta, WABCO, TUI, Bahlsen and Rossmann are all located in this area. Meanwhile, the Hanover Messe hosts the CeBIT communication, information and telecommunications fair. Next year, Poland will be a partner country in this trade fair.
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