ORLEN Group Strengthens Central European Footprint as ORLEN Aviation Launches Into-Plane Operations in Czech Republic

ORLEN Group Strengthens Central European Footprint as ORLEN Aviation Launches Into-Plane Operations in Czech Republic

(IN BRIEF) ORLEN Aviation has obtained a licence to provide aircraft refuelling services at Václav Havel Airport Prague, marking its first operational expansion outside Poland. The company won one of three available licences and is set to begin into-plane refuelling operations in the second quarter of 2026. Previously active at the airport solely as a fuel supplier, ORLEN will now extend its presence across the full aviation fuel value chain. The expansion builds on more than two decades of ORLEN’s presence in the Czech market and strengthens its strategic role in Central and Eastern Europe. Serving 76 airlines and nearly 18 million passengers annually, Prague airport represents a key regional hub that supports ORLEN Aviation’s international growth ambitions and broader Group expansion strategy.

(PRESS RELEASE) PŁOCK, 13-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — ORLEN Aviation is expanding beyond Poland for the first time, having secured a licence to provide aircraft refuelling services at Václav Havel Airport Prague, the Czech Republic’s largest airport. The move represents the company’s first operational contract outside its home market and signals a new phase in the international growth strategy of its parent, ORLEN.

Until now, ORLEN Group’s activities at Prague airport were limited to supplying aviation fuel to airlines. Beginning in the second quarter of 2026, ORLEN Aviation will launch into-plane refuelling operations, extending its presence across the full aviation fuel value chain — from refining and logistics to direct aircraft servicing.

The company secured one of three available licences in a competitive tender process. The required authorisation to perform ground handling and refuelling services was issued in June 2025 by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Czech Republic.

ORLEN CEO and President Ireneusz Fąfara described the development as another milestone in delivering the Group’s long-term strategy. He noted that ORLEN has been investing in and developing ORLEN Unipetrol in the Czech Republic for over two decades and has supplied aviation fuel to Prague airport for eight years. He also underlined the Group’s role in eliminating Russian crude from processing in the Czech Republic, highlighting the expansion as a continuation of efforts to strengthen energy security and regional integration.

Maciej Smolarek, President of the Management Board of ORLEN Aviation, characterised the Czech market entry as a breakthrough moment for the company. He emphasised that Prague represents both a major operational hub and an opportunity to apply experience gained in Poland to a new international environment. Preparations are underway to complete the remaining organisational and regulatory steps required to achieve operational readiness in the second quarter of 2026.

Together with two other licensed operators, ORLEN Aviation will provide refuelling services to 76 airlines connecting Prague with 180 destinations. Handling nearly 18 million passengers annually, Václav Havel Airport Prague ranks among the largest airports in Central and Eastern Europe, reinforcing its strategic significance for ORLEN’s regional ambitions.

ORLEN Aviation is a member of the Joint Inspection Group, which establishes global quality standards for aviation fuel handling, and holds the Airport Handling Agent Certificate, authorising it to deliver direct operational services to aircraft. The company specialises in aircraft refuelling and aviation fuel storage and is currently the largest into-plane operator at Polish airports, operating at 11 key locations including Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, Katowice and Poznań.

With a presence in the Czech market spanning more than 20 years across retail, wholesale fuel and energy sectors, ORLEN continues to strengthen its footprint in Central and Eastern Europe. The launch of into-plane services in Prague marks a natural progression of this strategy, reinforcing the Group’s position as a regional energy partner and advancing its international aviation operations.

Media contact:
media@orlen.pl

SOURCE: ORLEN