Polish authorities temporarily suspended flight operations at two airports in eastern Poland on the morning of 17 September 2026 after military aircraft were scrambled in response to Russian drone activity just across the Ukrainian border.
Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport (RZE) and Lublin Airport (LUZ) - both in southeastern Poland - halted operations while Polish Air Force jets were active in the area. Flights resumed once the alert had cleared, and no aircraft were reported as damaged or missing.
Poland’s civil aviation authority (ULC) has since warned travellers that further short-notice interruptions at airports in eastern Poland remain possible if similar incidents occur. Rzeszów-Jasionka in particular has been operating at elevated capacity since 2022 as a key logistics hub for Western military aid flows into Ukraine.
What This Means for Travellers
Anyone flying to or from Rzeszów or Lublin should check their flight status with their airline before travelling to either airport. Both serve a mix of domestic routes and a limited number of charter and low-cost connections to Western Europe.
The closure was short-lived and did not affect onward rail or road travel. Poland’s main international hubs - Warsaw Chopin (WAW) and Kraków John Paul II (KRK) - were not affected.
Planning Ahead
Travellers routing through eastern Poland should factor in the risk of short-notice disruption. Russia-linked drone incursions near Polish airspace have increased in frequency since early 2026, and the 17 September incident is the second time jets have responded to activity near Polish-adjacent airspace this month.
If your itinerary includes Rzeszów or Lublin, check flights to Poland for current schedule information and monitor your airline’s app for alerts on the day of travel. Building flexibility into eastern Poland departures - an earlier airport arrival, or a backup route via Warsaw or Kraków - is worth considering while this pattern continues.
Flight cancellations and missed connections caused by airspace closures are covered by most travel insurance for Poland policies. Given the increased frequency of short-notice interruptions at eastern Polish airports, having cover in place before you travel is particularly sensible on this corridor.
The Polish government has not raised its national threat level following the incident, but has reiterated caution for travel in the immediate border zone.