ORLEN accelerates its expansion ORLEN Aviation enters a new market

“This is another success and a further step in delivering our strategy. ORLEN is strengthening its presence in one of our key markets. For more than 20 years, we have been investing in and developing ORLEN Unipetrol. For eight years, we have supplied aviation fuel to Prague airport. Since last year, there has not been a single drop of Russian crude processed in the Czech Republic thanks to our actions, and from this year ORLEN Aviation will refuel aircraft operating from our southern neighbour’s largest airport. We committed to international expansion that would benefit the entire Group, and we are delivering on that commitment by introducing ORLEN Aviation to its first foreign market,” said Ireneusz Fąfara, CEO and President of the Management Board of ORLEN.

ORLEN Aviation won a tender for one of the three available licences to provide aircraft refuelling services at Václav Havel Airport Prague. The licence required to conduct these operations, issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Czech Republic, was obtained in June 2025.

Entering the airport as a ground handling agent marks another stage in ORLEN’s development on the Czech market. From this year, the into-plane aircraft refuelling service will be provided by ORLEN Aviation. The company’s presence at Prague airport will enhance operational efficiency and extend the aviation fuel value chain – from production at ORLEN Group refineries, through logistics and sales to airlines, to into-plane services, i.e., aircraft refuelling.

“Entry into the Czech market is a breakthrough moment for ORLEN Aviation. For the first time, we will begin operational activities outside Poland, implementing the company’s international growth strategy. Prague is an important location for us – not only due to the scale of operations, but also because of the opportunity to leverage experience gained in the Czech Republic on our home market. We are finalising the necessary formal and organisational steps to achieve operational readiness in the second quarter of 2026,” said Maciej Smolarek, President of the Management Board of ORLEN Aviation.

Together with two other operators, ORLEN Aviation will provide aircraft refuelling services to 76 airlines operating flights to 180 destinations. As one of the largest airports in Central and Eastern Europe, Václav Havel Airport Prague handles nearly 18 million passengers annually, which highlights the strategic importance of this location for the ORLEN Group’s growth.

ORLEN Aviation is a member of the Joint Inspection Group (JIG), an international organisation setting global quality standards for aviation fuels, and holds the Airport Handling Agent Certificate (AHAC), authorising it to provide direct operational services to aircraft.

The core activities of ORLEN Aviation include aircraft refuelling and the storage of aviation fuels. The company is the largest into-plane operator at Polish airports, present at 11 strategic locations, including the country’s largest airports: Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, Katowice and Poznań.

ORLEN has been active on the Czech market for more than 20 years, consistently developing its presence in the retail and wholesale fuel segments as well as in the energy sector. Leveraging its extensive experience and strong regional position, the ORLEN Group successfully executes its expansion strategy, strengthening its role as one of the key energy partners in Central and Eastern Europe. ORLEN Aviation’s entry into Václav Havel Airport Prague represents a natural extension of these efforts, confirming the Group’s commitment to expanding its fuel services internationally.

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