LOT Polish Airlines has announced plans to renovate and expand one of its primary lounges at Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW), which is long overdue (thanks to YHBU for flagging this)…
LOT Business Lounge Polonez being updated
The Polonez Lounge is LOT Polish Airlines’ business class lounge in the Schengen area of its Warsaw hub. In terms of design and space, the lounge leaves a bit to be desired, so there’s some good news on that front.
As of July 2024, the lounge is undergoing some major updates, and they should be completed by December 2024. For one, the lounge will be expanded by 153 square meters (~1,650 square feet), and will gain 64 additional seats. When all is said and done, the lounge will be a total of over 860 square meters (~9,250 square feet). The expanded space will offer views of the terminal below (which… isn’t a terribly exciting view).
In addition to an expansion, the lounge will also get new interiors, to align with the carrier’s updated brand identity. The new design is described as combining elegance and functionality, with modern furniture, including comfortable seats and sofas.
The good news is that the lounge will remain open during the renovation… and that’s also the bad news. Not only can you expect some extra noise, but sections of the lounge will also be closed off, so you can expect the lounge will be more crowded than usual.
Here’s how Izabela Leszczyńska, LOT Polish Airlines’ Director of Product Development and Customer Experience, describes the updates:
“We constantly strive to make the experience of LOT Polish Airlines passengers exceptional at every stage of the journey, which is why we are pleased to announce the reconstruction of our LOT Business Lounge Polonez. From satisfaction surveys, we know that passengers rate the lounge very well, especially valuing our food and beverage offer. However, we realize that in the so-called ‘outbound waves’ the lounge is visited by many travelers, therefore, as part of the modernization, we will introduce more space and modern amenities. I believe that the changes will provide even greater comfort, as well as the ability to work and relax freely. LOT Business Lounge Polonez is the largest lounge at the Chopin Airport, which is LOT’s hub. We want all our customers to experience LOT’s famous hospitality right here, even before boarding. We can’t wait to invite them to a completely changed interior.”
It’s nice to see LOT investing in its passenger experience
LOT Polish Airlines has long had a confusing position in the market. The airline belongs to the Star Alliance, but is excluded from the Star Alliance transatlantic joint venture, meaning the carrier has largely operated its network pretty independently. Warsaw isn’t exactly the world’s most premium aviation market, and on top of that, historically LOT hasn’t offered a memorable passenger experience.
I’m happy to see the airline investing heavily in its passenger experience, as this is only one of several initiatives at the airline. LOT is also updating the interiors of its 787 Dreamliners, including introducing a new business class, though sadly that project will only start in late 2026, and will be completed by 2030.
Furthermore, the airline is opening a lounge in Chicago (ORD), and it’s supposed to open in 2024. Any new lounge in Chicago’s Terminal 5 is great news, as I see it.
Both of these are positive developments. I still think that LOT would be better suited for oneworld than Star Alliance, based on the geography of the alliance members, and how LOT is treated within Star Alliance. I don’t think the airline will actually swap alliances, though it would be logical, if the airline were to start from scratch.
Bottom line
LOT Polish Airlines is expanding and renovating its largest lounge in Warsaw, which is long overdue. Not only is the lounge often busy, but it’s not terribly modern. The new lounge should be done in December 2024, so you can expect that in the coming months it’ll be a tight squeeze in the space, as portions of it are closed and updated.
What’s your take on the updated LOT Polish Airlines Lounge Warsaw?
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