An easyJet flight from Manchester Airport to Krakow, EZY2263, was compelled to turn back mid-flight to its origin on Thursday evening, December 4, due to severe dense fog causing adverse weather conditions at Krakow Airport. The flight, which had departed Manchester at 4.45pm, had reached airspace above Germany, specifically the Bielefeld area, when it was forced to make a U-turn. It subsequently landed back at Manchester Airport at 7.19pm, having been scheduled to arrive in Krakow at 8.19pm local time (7.19pm GMT).

Krakow Airport had issued warnings earlier in the day, advising passengers of potential disruptions due to the heavy fog. An easyJet spokesperson confirmed the situation, stating, "Due to adverse weather affecting all airlines operating to and from Krakow yesterday, flight EZY2263 from Manchester was required to divert back to Manchester and as there was no improvement in the weather, unfortunately it was unable to operate." The airline emphasized its commitment to passenger welfare, adding, "We did all possible to minimise the impact for customers and provided options to rebook or obtain a refund as well as hotel accommodation and meals. The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and while this was outside of our control, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused.”

The easyJet incident was part of a broader disruption affecting flights to Krakow. Ryanair flight FR2148, also from Manchester to Krakow, had to divert to Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport, located approximately 110 miles east of Krakow. Flight data from sources like FlightAware and FlightRadar24 confirmed the extensive impact of the weather. Krakow Airport experienced a significant period, from 5.30pm until after 9.30pm, during which no flights were able to land. This widespread disruption resulted in at least 10 departures being cancelled, including easyJet’s return flight to Manchester, scheduled for 8.50pm.

Krakow Airport communicated the situation via a post on X (formerly Twitter) in Polish, informing passengers: "Due to adverse weather conditions (fog), some flight operations may be subject to changes. Please stay tuned for airline and airport announcements. Thank you for your understanding and we apologise for any inconvenience." Affected easyJet passengers were offered options to rebook their journey or receive a full refund, underscoring the measures taken by airlines to mitigate the impact of unforeseen weather-related operational challenges.