LOT suspends some routes until April, partly because of high fuel prices

Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT is introducing its winter flight timetable, under which some routes will be suspended until April. The airline's spokesman, Krzysztof Moczulski, announced this on Monday 19 October 2026.

Which routes will disappear from the timetable

According to information provided by the Informacyjna Agencja Radiowa (IAR) and PAP, LOT will suspend flights between Warsaw and Bologna until the end of October. Connections from Kraków to Madrid, Rome and Barcelona will also be halted. In addition, the frequency of selected flights is to be reduced. The airline plans to restore the suspended routes at the beginning of April, when the summer timetable comes into effect.

Fuel and competition

The spokesman explains that the decision followed an analysis of the route network in terms of profitability. One of the most important factors at present is high fuel prices. According to Moczulski, the impact of fuel on costs is much greater than in February: then it accounted for about 25% of the airline's costs, whereas today it may be as much as 40%.

The second reason, according to the spokesman, is strong competition in the Central European market. This limits the ability to raise ticket prices to offset the more expensive fuel.

Expansion of long-haul flights

At the same time, LOT is increasing its range of intercontinental connections. The spokesman recalled that the airline has already launched flights to Bangkok, and flights to Hanoi will begin at the end of March. By the middle of next year, four Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft are due to join the fleet. They will be used to increase frequency on existing routes, and the airline is also considering further destinations.

What this means for Poles in the UK

The sources contain no information about the suspension or reduction of LOT connections with airports in the United Kingdom. The routes named concern Italy and Spain. However, people planning to travel to Poland or to change planes in Warsaw should check the current timetable and the status of their booking directly with the airline, because the frequency of selected connections is also to be reduced, and the list of these has not been given.