Aerolloyd Warschau

(also Aerolot, Polskie Linje Lotnicze PLL)

Aerolloyd Warschau / P.L.L. Poster of 1925Founded:
July 1922 Foundation
05.09.1922 Start of Operations

Shareholders:
Polnaft
Fanto
Junkers Flugzeugwerke A.G.
Danziger Luftpost GmbH

Management Positions:
Dr. I. Wygard (Aerolot)

Network:
Danzig, Warsaw, Lemberg (since Sept. 1922)
Cracow, Posznan (since 1923)

Company Development:

The extension of the Lloyd Ostflug network to the East was a major theme in 1921. Danziger Luftpost added new routes to Memel, Riga and Reval from Koenigsberg since 1922. In Poland the former German areas at Danzig, Posznan and Lemberg were looking for a quick connection to Warsaw as the infrastructures of the Polish ground transport were still lacking connections between the corridor and central Poland. In May and June 1921 the first Polish airline Aerotarg started operations between Posznan and Warsaw. Lloyd Ostflug GmbH intended to extend its network into Poland, however before anything got under its way, Lloyd Ostflug was dissolved in May 1922.

Junkers Flugzeugwerke and Danziger Luftpost GmbH, which took over the Lloyd Ostflug network, continued the discussions with the Polish Government and potential commercial partners in Poland. In July 1922 the Polish Oil Companies FANTO and POLNAFT joint the Junkers project and founded the Aerolloyd Warschau. Initial services were introduced on 5th September 1922 from Danzig to Warsaw and Lemberg.

Danziger Luftpost GmbH was responsible for the ground handling and the flight operations. The two oil companies had to supply fuel at the Aerolloyd Warschau airports. Junkers Flugzeugwerke supplied the required F13 aircraft for Aerolloyd Warschau. The homebase of Aerolloyd Warschau was Gdanks - Wrzeszcz, where the network of Danziger Luftpost GmbH to Berlin and the Baltic states were connected.

In 1923 the routing was extended from Warsaw to Cracow and Posznan. Until 1925 Aerolloyd Warschau was an expanding company. At least 14 Junkers F13 aircraft were owned by the company, even if the operation of these aircraft was performed by Danziger Luftpost GmbH. Aerolloyd Warschau operated as full member of the Junkers Europa-Union until March 1925, when the Polish Government decided to reduce the German influence at Aerolloyd Warschau. The German employees of Aerolloyd were moved out of the company and the company was renamed into Aerolot following the merger with another Polish airline named Aero. The operational hub was transfered from Gdansk to Warsaw-Mokotow. The financial influence of Junkers and Danziger Luftpost was reduced to zero.

Aerolot remained independent until 1928, when linje Lotnicze LOT was formed to integrate all Polish independent airlines. Since January 1st 1929 Polskie Linje Lotnicze PLL took over the Aerlot operations.

Further Reading:
LOT Company History

introduced Aug 1996, transfered Dec 2017
http://hugojunkers.bplaced.net/
contents last updated 23 Dec 2004