A powerful Arctic front swept across southern Poland over the weekend, dumping more than 30 cm of snow on Małopolska province and forcing Kraków John Paul II International Airport (KRK) to halt operations for a second straight day. Airport authorities first closed the single runway late on Saturday night after de-icing fluid proved ineffective against rapidly accumulating ice. By Sunday morning, ploughs could not keep pace with white-out conditions and visibility dropped below the 550-metre take-off minimum, triggering a full suspension of commercial movements.
The closure landed at the height of the pre-Christmas travel rush. UK leisure airline Jet2 rerouted three fully-booked Boeing 737 services—LS949 from Manchester, LS1901 from Newcastle and LS113 from Glasgow—to Warsaw Chopin Airport, 295 km to the north. Arriving holiday-makers were bussed to Kraków hotels, while Kraków-originating passengers were offered overnight accommodation in Warsaw or free rebooking. LOT Polish Airlines and Wizz Air also cancelled or diverted multiple rotations, warning customers of rolling knock-on delays through Tuesday.
Under EU Regulation 261/2004, extreme weather counts as an “extraordinary circumstance”, so cash compensation is not payable. Carriers must nonetheless provide duty-of-care: meals, phone calls, hotel rooms and alternative transport. Mobility managers with staff transiting Poland are advised to monitor airline apps and prepare contingency plans for rail or road travel between Kraków and Warsaw in the coming days.
![Heavy snow shutters Kraków Airport; Jet2 diverts UK holiday flights to Warsaw]()
For travelers suddenly needing to extend a Schengen stay, secure a multi-entry business visa, or arrange transit documents because of the disruption, VisaHQ can simplify the process. Its dedicated Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) provides step-by-step online applications and expert support, helping passengers and corporate mobility teams handle paperwork swiftly while weather chaos unfolds.
The disruption underscores the importance of diversified airport options for corporate travel programmes. Warsaw now absorbs the bulk of diverted flights, but Katowice, Wrocław and Rzeszów have also accepted unscheduled arrivals, testing ground-handling capacity in the peak season. Travel risk teams should remind employees that rail tickets often sell out quickly in weather events; advance bookings via PKP Intercity or private coach operators can reduce last-minute scrambling.
Meteorologists predict temperatures will remain below freezing until Thursday, raising the possibility of further operational challenges. Kraków Airport says it will reopen “as soon as runway conditions permit”, but advises passengers to check flight status before heading to the terminal. Companies with time-critical shipments should explore road freight or redirection to less-affected airports.
The closure landed at the height of the pre-Christmas travel rush. UK leisure airline Jet2 rerouted three fully-booked Boeing 737 services—LS949 from Manchester, LS1901 from Newcastle and LS113 from Glasgow—to Warsaw Chopin Airport, 295 km to the north. Arriving holiday-makers were bussed to Kraków hotels, while Kraków-originating passengers were offered overnight accommodation in Warsaw or free rebooking. LOT Polish Airlines and Wizz Air also cancelled or diverted multiple rotations, warning customers of rolling knock-on delays through Tuesday.
Under EU Regulation 261/2004, extreme weather counts as an “extraordinary circumstance”, so cash compensation is not payable. Carriers must nonetheless provide duty-of-care: meals, phone calls, hotel rooms and alternative transport. Mobility managers with staff transiting Poland are advised to monitor airline apps and prepare contingency plans for rail or road travel between Kraków and Warsaw in the coming days.
For travelers suddenly needing to extend a Schengen stay, secure a multi-entry business visa, or arrange transit documents because of the disruption, VisaHQ can simplify the process. Its dedicated Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) provides step-by-step online applications and expert support, helping passengers and corporate mobility teams handle paperwork swiftly while weather chaos unfolds.
The disruption underscores the importance of diversified airport options for corporate travel programmes. Warsaw now absorbs the bulk of diverted flights, but Katowice, Wrocław and Rzeszów have also accepted unscheduled arrivals, testing ground-handling capacity in the peak season. Travel risk teams should remind employees that rail tickets often sell out quickly in weather events; advance bookings via PKP Intercity or private coach operators can reduce last-minute scrambling.
Meteorologists predict temperatures will remain below freezing until Thursday, raising the possibility of further operational challenges. Kraków Airport says it will reopen “as soon as runway conditions permit”, but advises passengers to check flight status before heading to the terminal. Companies with time-critical shipments should explore road freight or redirection to less-affected airports.
