#LOTdoDomu – summary of actions taken by MFA
06.04.2020
After three weeks of intense efforts to return Polish citizens to their homeland, the #LOTdoDomu programme was completed on Sunday, 5 April 2020. As part of this initiative, in just 22 days, the Polish LOT airlines organised 388 special charter flights which brought over 55,000 people safely home.
The scope of the programme
Minister Jacek Czaputowicz stressed that #LOTdoDomu was one of the biggest operations in the history of Polish diplomatic and consular services. “Its efficient accomplishment would not have been possible without our consuls’ enormous commitment and ceaseless work over the last weeks. They deserve the highest praise and special thanks for their hard work and extraordinary effort,” added the minister.
The scope of actions undertaken in such a short period of time is unprecedented. People were flown back home from 71 places in the world. Polish diplomatic missions assisted Poles in returning from the most remote destinations in the world, from Peru, Chad and Goa to Japan. Under the #LOTdoDomu programme, apart from Polish nationals, we have also aided the return of over 2,000 citizens of other countries.
Assistance provided by Polish consular offices
Polish consular offices have been continuously offering support to Polish citizens who are facing a particularly difficult situation. Consuls take necessary steps to assist Poles who want to go back home, e.g. by helping them to find available flights connections to Europe. Without the commitment of diplomatic and consular services, some #LOTdoDomu flights would not have taken place.
“As part of the #LOTdoDomu programme, our airplanes were sent to places where Poles needed assistance in returning to their families. This is the national air carrier’s mission and obligation. The success would not have been possible without the commitment and hard work of our crews as well as office workers carrying out and coordinating the #LOTdoDomu operation. Due to time pressure and closed airspaces, it was a big challenge to organise every single flight. It was necessary to obtain numerous additional permissions, fulfil stringent safety standards, and ensure full technical and logistic resources,” said Polish Airlines LOT CEO Rafał Milczarski.
Further assistance
Currently the diplomatic and consular services are continuing their efforts to assist Poles who were unable to take advantage of the PLL LOT special flights. The MFA hotline is still available for Poles who are stranded abroad and face problems returning home due to the state of epidemic that was introduced in the territory of the Republic of Poland.