Around 23:00 local time on Sunday, 28 December, an electrical fault filled part of Warsaw Chopin Airport’s main terminal with smoke, triggering the evacuation of roughly 80 passengers and staff. Seven fire engines and 24 firefighters secured the site, and no injuries were reported. Airport spokesman Piotr Rudzki told national broadcaster TVN24 that operations resumed within an hour after ventilation cleared the affected area.
Although the incident caused only minor delays, it highlights the fragility of holiday-period operations when reduced staffing and heavy passenger loads overlap. Chopin handles close to 40 percent of Poland’s international traffic; any disruption can cascade into regional airports such as Modlin and Kraków-Balice, where carriers are already contending with winter weather and military air-space closures triggered by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
![Electrical Fault Prompts Late-Night Evacuation at Warsaw Chopin Airport]()
For those sorting out last-minute travel plan changes, VisaHQ can take the administrative sting out of unexpected disruptions. Its dedicated Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) lets travelers and corporate mobility teams check real-time visa requirements, file electronic applications and arrange expedited processing—tools that become invaluable when re-routing through Warsaw or shifting itineraries on short notice.
For mobility managers, the event underscores the need for real-time traveller-tracking over the festive season. Companies with employees transiting Warsaw were advised to re-check connection windows and ensure emergency contact details are current. Airlines operating late-night long-haul departures, including LOT’s flights to Seoul and New York, reported on-time take-offs after minor gate reassignment.
Polish aviation authorities will investigate whether ageing electrical infrastructure played a role; results are expected in January. In the meantime, Chopin has increased preventive inspections of terminal power-distribution rooms and advised carriers to build extra turnaround buffers into their schedules through New Year’s Eve.
Although the incident caused only minor delays, it highlights the fragility of holiday-period operations when reduced staffing and heavy passenger loads overlap. Chopin handles close to 40 percent of Poland’s international traffic; any disruption can cascade into regional airports such as Modlin and Kraków-Balice, where carriers are already contending with winter weather and military air-space closures triggered by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
For those sorting out last-minute travel plan changes, VisaHQ can take the administrative sting out of unexpected disruptions. Its dedicated Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) lets travelers and corporate mobility teams check real-time visa requirements, file electronic applications and arrange expedited processing—tools that become invaluable when re-routing through Warsaw or shifting itineraries on short notice.
For mobility managers, the event underscores the need for real-time traveller-tracking over the festive season. Companies with employees transiting Warsaw were advised to re-check connection windows and ensure emergency contact details are current. Airlines operating late-night long-haul departures, including LOT’s flights to Seoul and New York, reported on-time take-offs after minor gate reassignment.
Polish aviation authorities will investigate whether ageing electrical infrastructure played a role; results are expected in January. In the meantime, Chopin has increased preventive inspections of terminal power-distribution rooms and advised carriers to build extra turnaround buffers into their schedules through New Year’s Eve.
