Aviation History
Polish civil aviation developed rapidly after independence in 1918, culminating in the 1929 founding of LOT Polish Airlines from the merger of earlier carriers Aerolot and Aero. LOT's operations were suspended by World War II, ran under state control through the communist era, and were reoriented toward Western markets and alliances (Star Alliance, 2003) after 1989 and EU accession in 2004. Poland's aviation history also includes the 2010 Smolensk air disaster, which killed the sitting president, and LOT's 2012 debut as Europe's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner operator.
LOT began operations on 1 January 1929, formed by the state merger of the earlier carriers Aerolot and Aero, and became Poland's flag carrier.
LOT relocated to the newly built Warsaw Okęcie Airport, which served as Poland's principal aviation gateway for decades.
The German and Soviet invasions of Poland suspended LOT's operations and forced the evacuation of its fleet for the duration of the war.
LOT resumed operations as a state enterprise in postwar Poland, rebuilding domestic and regional service under Soviet-bloc conditions.
The end of communist rule opened Polish aviation to Western aircraft and set in motion LOT's eventual market restructuring.
LOT joined Star Alliance as its 14th member, linking Poland into a global airline network.
Poland's entry into the EU opened its skies to low-cost carriers, including Wizz Air's maiden flight from Katowice that year and rapid Ryanair expansion.
A Polish Air Force Tupolev Tu-154M crashed near Smolensk, Russia, on 10 April 2010, killing all 96 aboard including President Lech Kaczyński — a defining tragedy in Polish aviation and political history.
LOT became the first European airline to put the Boeing 787 Dreamliner into commercial service.
LOT Polish Airlines · Enter Air · Buzz (LOT's low-cost subsidiary)
Wikipedia, LOT Polish Airlines corporate history, ICAO, aviation trade press (Simple Flying, AeroTime)