Poland airport disruption delays 127 flights and cancels 35 at Warsaw, Kraków, and Gdańsk

Disruption overview

Poland’s three busiest airports — Warsaw Chopin Airport, Kraków John Paul II International Airport, and Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport — saw major disruption on 15 April 2026 after fog, a runway-lighting problem in Warsaw, and airline staffing shortages combined to delay 127 departures and cancel 35 flights. LOT Polish Airlines took the biggest hit, while Ryanair and Wizz Air also saw schedules unravel on routes including London, Frankfurt, Oslo, Paris, and Rome.

Because the disruption appears to have been driven partly by technical and staffing issues, some passengers on EU-regulated flights may be entitled to up to $650 compensation under EC 261 if their flight was canceled at short notice or delayed by more than 3 hours.

Disruption details

Passengers flying through Warsaw Chopin Airport, Kraków John Paul II International Airport, and Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport faced widespread disruption on 15 April 2026 after a mix of fog, technical trouble, and staffing problems led to 127 delayed departures and 35 cancellations across Poland.

For passengers, this meant missed meetings, broken connections, and a long day of waiting for updates or alternative flights. Business travelers were hit especially hard, but leisure passengers also saw their plans change as delays spread through the country’s busiest airports.

By the end of the day, the disruption had spread across Poland’s three main gateways:

• 127 departures were delayed across Warsaw, Kraków, and Gdańsk.

• 35 flights were canceled as airlines tried to recover their schedules.

• LOT Polish Airlines absorbed the biggest hit, while Ryanair and Wizz Air were also affected.

• Routes to London, Frankfurt, Oslo, Paris, and Rome were among those disrupted.

LOT Polish Airlines took the heaviest blow because its domestic and regional network depends on tight aircraft and crew rotations. Once early flights slipped out of Warsaw, planes and crews were no longer in the right place for later departures, and the disruption kept rolling into the afternoon.

That had a wider effect than just late takeoffs. Travelers heading to major European business capitals found themselves scrambling to rebook, while others faced missed onward connections across Europe and last-minute changes to hotel, meeting, or family plans.

The problems began early in the morning, when dense fog reduced arrival and departure rates just as the first wave of flights was due to leave. At Warsaw, a runway-lighting malfunction made the backlog worse. Several airlines also reported crew shortages after an unexpected rise in sick leave, adding more pressure to already tight schedules.

Together, those issues created a chain reaction. Some aircraft and flight crews missed their first rotation out of the capital, leaving them out of position for later services. By later in the day, cancellations were being used to reset the operation rather than let delays keep building.

The disruption itself was limited to 15 April. By 16 April 2026, operations were no longer described as suspended, although some residual knock-on effects, including displaced crews, were still being worked through.

The Civil Aviation Authority has opened an investigation and asked carriers for written contingency plans before the May holiday week, one of Poland’s busiest travel periods. The episode has also renewed concern about thin crew reserves and how little spare capacity is available when schedules tighten.

If you’re flying in or out of Poland in the coming weeks, it may be worth leaving more time between connections, choosing flexible tickets where possible, and keeping a close eye on airline and airport updates as summer schedules ramp up.

Because the disruption appears to have been driven by a mix of technical problems and staffing shortages, some passengers on EU-regulated flights may be entitled to up to $650 compensation under EC 261 if their flight was canceled at short notice or arrived more than 3 hours late. Weather may affect that assessment, so the exact outcome will depend on what caused your individual disruption.

If you were affected, keep your booking details and any messages from your airline. If your flight was canceled, your airline should also offer rebooking or a refund. You can check your compensation with AirHelp in just 2 minutes and see whether EC 261 may apply to your journey.

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