LOT to launch direct flight from Warsaw to Beijing

LOT Polish Airlines (LOT), the flag carrier of Poland, will launch its first direct flight from its capital city Warsaw to Beijing on March 30, 2008, linking the two nations by direct flight for the first time, said Jacek Tomaszewski, general manager of LOT China.

LOT plans to use Boeing 767 aircrafts for non-stop flights four times a week from Warsaw to Beijing, and new Boeing 787s will replace B767s when delivered.

Established in 1929 in Warsaw, LOT is a state-owned self governing corporation, in which the Polish government holds a 67.97% stake. It is the largest airlines in mid-Europe, offering direct flights to 52 destinations in 31 countries.

The number of outbound tourist from the Chinese mainland is expected soar 12.4% year-on-year to hit 21.6 million in the first half of 2008, according to statistics from MasterCard Worldwide.