LOT Polish Airlines is celebrating an important anniversary – 80 years of direct flights connecting Warsaw with Paris, Stockholm and Prague

When LOT Polish Airlines launched flights to Prague, Paris, and Stockholm in 1946, a new chapter in the history of civil aviation was just beginning and international air travel was an experience available to the select few. On 4 July 1946, LOT's first flight departed to Paris, on 9 July to Stockholm, and less than a month later, on 7 August, to Prague. These were the humble beginnings of the history of connections that, eight decades later, remain a crucial part of the national carrier's network.

Eighty years ago, air travel was an event in itself. Tickets were written by hand, no electronic reservation or online check-in systems were available, and the entire travel process – from purchasing the ticket to checking in one’s luggage – was handled without computers or modern IT solutions. Passengers boarded directly from the airport’s apron, often via a series of metal steps positioned next to the aircraft. Flight attendants were present aboard LOT Polish Airlines planes for merely a year: before the war, in-flight service was provided by flight engineers.

LOT's post-war international flights were primarily operated using Douglas DC-3 aircraft and their licensed counterparts – Lisunov Li-2s. Interestingly, many of the Douglas planes started their lives as C-47 military transport aircraft, and were later converted to passenger versions after the war. Instead of metal benches, 21 seats were installed in a 2+1 configuration, allowing the aircraft to begin a new life as a passenger plane. The cabin of the DC-3 was only capable of accommodating 20-21 passengers. The piston-powered engines were positioned close to the fuselage, so their sound and vibration were clearly noticeable during the flight. The aircraft had a cruising speed of approximately 300 kph and flew at significantly lower altitudes than today's jets, which meant that journeys took longer, were more frequently subjected to turbulence, and the flights depended, to a greater degree, on the weather conditions.

Prague, Paris, and Stockholm have long been among the most important European destinations in LOT Polish Airlines' flight network. Connections with each of these capitals are now available daily, and thanks to several daily flights, passengers may flexibly plan their business and leisure trips. They may also take advantage of a wide range of connecting flights through Chopin Airport in Warsaw.

Today, flights to Prague are available up to 33 times a week, and to Paris and Stockholm up to 21 times a week. This translates into a total of up to 75 flights per week that connect Warsaw with those three European capitals. Douglas DC-3 and Lisunov Li-2 planes have been replaced by modern Embraer and Boeing 737 aircraft – comfortable narrow-body aircraft that make travel across Europe much faster, quieter, and more comfortable.