Air Europa (UX, Palma de Mallorca) will lease a B787-8 from LOT Polish Airlines (LO, Warsaw Chopin) on a one year contract. The Spanish carrier will use the aircraft on weekly rotations from Madrid Barajas to New York JFK and three weekly flights to Montevideo Carrasco beginning in early April next year.

LOT CEO Sebastian Mikosz said his airline had looked to the leasing market as a means of capitalizing on surplus capacity. As per an agreement with the European Commission concerning a 2012 state-backed bailout, LOT, until the end of next year, is unable to expand its operations.

“However despite the limitations, we are working hard to make effective use of our long-haul fleet and thus improve our company's overall financial standing. This cooperation also proves LOT’s flexibility in business activities and the great trust the market places in it,” he said.

Earlier this year, Finnair (AY, Helsinki Vantaa) and Norwegian Long Haul (Oslo Gardermoen) used a leased LOT B787 for their respective long haul needs.