British Ambassador to Poland welcomes Warsaw to London City Airport route
A new connection between London City Airport and Warsaw Chopin Airport that will develop greater ties between the UK and Poland, has been welcomed by businesses and diplomats in Warsaw.
From Monday 7th January, LOT Polish Airlines will commence operations at London City Airport for the first time, serving the Polish capital city up to twice a day.
Polish businesses that will benefit from the new route gathered last week at a special business reception at the British Embassy in Warsaw.
Joining the British Ambassador, London City Airport, LOT Polish Airlines, and the Polish Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology, were representatives from Polish-based businesses, travel industry, and multinationals including PKO Bank Polski, Aviva, and the Warsaw School of Economics.
LOT’s arrival at London City, announced in June, represents a significant investment by Poland’s national carrier on the eve of the UK’s planned exit from the EU. The frequent link between London’s most central airport and Warsaw will nurture continued close Polish-UK relations, based on the hugely important human and economic links between the countries.
At least one million Poles have moved to the UK since 2004 and Poland generates a €8.3 billion trade surplus with the UK each year. For UK plc, the route is a boost to the £15.5 billion of trade made between the two countries in 2017.
Speaking from the British Embassy in Warsaw, Jonathan Knott, British Ambassador to Poland, said: “British-Polish relations are stronger than ever, with close cooperation between governments and unprecedented people to people links. LOT’s new route to London City Airport shortens the distance between our countries even further, boosting business and tourism. As Poland’s aviation sector continues to develop, with ambitious plans for a new hub airport and LOT’s expanding network of global destinations, the UK stands ready to share its vast expertise in this exciting industry to our Polish partners.”
Robert Sinclair, CEO, London City Airport, said: “The new Warsaw-London City link is great for the UK and for Poland, to ensure we maintain a close working partnership now and in the future. To demonstrate our enthusiasm, and highlight London City Airport as the best gateway to the capital, we are here in Warsaw to raise awareness with the British Ambassador, as LOT Polish Airlines begins the first of three new routes."
“For the many thousands of Poles that have made the global city of London their home, this route will also provide a link for friends and relatives in both directions to visit.”
Rafal Milczarski, CEO, LOT Polish Airlines, said: “This step will certainly result with enhancement of business and trade ties between Poland and UK. We are very proud to fast-track our development in London City Airport, connecting it with three European capitals: Warsaw, Budapest and Vilnius and giving our passengers an access to the very heart of London. There is a great potential in high passenger demand for each one of these routes. I am certain that Polish as well as Hungarian and Lithuanian passengers will appreciate the new connections thanks to the elevated quality of service on board brand new LOT’s E190 jets.”
In order to operate the new Warsaw route, the airline has invested in four Embraer 190 aircraft, compatible with London City Airport. These will also be utilised to operate a new London City-Budapest service from 19th February and a Vilnius service in May, in a huge boost to London City’s Central European connections.