KRAKÓW, Poland — September 15, 2025 — Air travel in southern Poland was disrupted Sunday after a Boeing 737-800 operating a charter flight from Turkey skidded off the runway upon landing at Kraków John Paul II International Airport, forcing the airport to suspend all operations for several hours.
The incident occurred shortly after 2:00 p.m. local time when Enter Air flight E47030, arriving from Antalya, veered into a grassy area adjacent to runway 25 in heavy rainfall. The aircraft, a 1998-built Boeing 737-800 registered OM-FEX and operated by Slovakian ACMI provider AirExplore for Polish carrier Enter Air, was carrying approximately 190 passengers and crew.
No injuries were reported, but the airport was forced to close as emergency crews worked to recover the plane and assess damage to the runway.
Weather Blamed for Skid
Preliminary assessments suggest the aircraft hydroplaned on the rain-soaked runway, reducing braking efficiency and sending it off course. Officials said the plane sustained no major damage, but its position off the pavement required specialized equipment to remove it.
Emergency services from Kraków and specialized responders from Ostrava, Czech Republic, used high-pressure lifting cushions in the recovery effort. Passengers were safely evacuated through emergency slides and exits, according to airport authorities.
Enter Air confirmed the incident was weather-related and said flights on the Antalya-Kraków route would continue using other aircraft. The airline noted the grounded Boeing will undergo inspection before it returns to service.
Operations Suspended, Flights Diverted
Kraków Airport, a critical air hub for southern Poland, shut down all flights to clear the disabled plane and conduct runway safety inspections. The suspension, initially expected to last two to six hours, stretched into the evening as recovery crews deployed heavy machinery.
At least eight inbound flights were diverted to Katowice and Warsaw, leading to delays across the network. Eurocontrol, Europe’s air traffic management body, advised passengers to monitor real-time updates, while the airport used official channels to provide status alerts.
The suspension created a ripple effect during one of the airport’s busier travel weekends, highlighting the operational challenges that come with weather-related aviation incidents.
Safety Investigation Underway
Poland’s State Commission for Aircraft Accident Investigation (PKBWL) has opened an inquiry to determine the exact causes of the runway excursion. Investigators are expected to examine weather conditions at the time, the runway’s surface condition, and the actions of the flight crew during the landing sequence.
Runway excursions — when an aircraft veers off or overshoots the landing strip — remain one of aviation’s most common safety risks, particularly in adverse weather. While most incidents result in minimal or no damage, they often lead to significant operational disruption.
Kraków Airport stressed that passenger safety was never in jeopardy thanks to swift coordination between pilots, emergency services, and airport staff. However, officials acknowledged that the closure underscored the difficulty of maintaining continuity of service during emergency responses.
Broader Implications
Industry analysts note that the incident underscores the vulnerabilities of regional hubs like Kraków, which lack the redundancy of larger airports when forced to suspend operations. Diversions to Warsaw and Katowice caused logistical challenges for both airlines and travelers, with passengers facing extended ground transfers and missed connections.
The recovery of the Boeing 737-800 highlights the delicate balance between ensuring safety and resuming normal operations. For airlines, unscheduled disruptions carry financial costs, from rebooking passengers to deploying substitute aircraft. For airports, they pose reputational challenges and stress the importance of contingency planning.
Looking Ahead
As of late Sunday, Kraków Airport said its runway would remain closed until safety inspections cleared it for renewed operations. Full service was expected to resume once authorities completed their review.
Enter Air, which operates charter services across Europe, emphasized that the quick and safe evacuation of passengers was its priority. “All passengers were safely evacuated via slides and emergency exits,” the airline said in a statement.
With the aircraft awaiting inspection and regulators preparing a detailed investigation, the incident serves as a reminder of aviation’s dependence on both human decision-making and environmental factors. For travelers, the message remains clear: check flight statuses before heading to the airport, particularly when severe weather is in the forecast.
