How Long Does LOT Polish Airlines Take to Pay Compensation?
If your claim was approved, when will the money arrive? If it's still pending, how long is "too long"? Here is the realistic timeline for 2025.
The Short Answer
Average wait time: 30 to 90 days.
LOT Polish Airlines typically responds to initial claims within 30 days. If approved, payment usually follows within 14-30 days. However, if they reject the claim or ignore it, the process can take 6+ months.
Realistic Timeline Breakdown (2025)
The speed of your payout depends entirely on how LOT Polish Airlines categorizes your claim. Here is what we are seeing in 2025:
🚀 Best Case: 3-6 Weeks
Scenario: Clear technical fault, no extraordinary circumstances, claim filed correctly with all documents.
LOT accepts liability quickly and processes the transfer.
⚠️ Average Case: 2-4 Months
Scenario: Operational reasons, waiting for flight reports, or administrative backlog.
LOT might ask for additional documents or take the full 30 days to respond to each email.
🛑 Worst Case: 6+ Months
Scenario: LOT wrongly claims "extraordinary circumstances" (weather/strikes) to deny payment.
Requires escalation to Civil Aviation Authority (ULC in Poland) or legal action.
Why Is My LOT Claim Taking So Long?
If more than 30 days have passed without a response, it is usually due to one of these reasons:
- 1
Backlog during peak season
Summer (June-August) and December are chaotic. Response times often double.
- 2
Intentional stalling
Some airlines use silence as a tactic, hoping passengers will give up.
- 3
Missing Bank Details (BIC/SWIFT)
Double-check your IBAN and SWIFT code. LOT cannot pay without these international codes.
LOT ignoring your emails?
Stop waiting. ClaimWinger can fast-track your claim legally. We handle the paperwork, negotiations, and legal threats.
Speed Up My ClaimDoes LOT Have a Legal Deadline to Pay?
Surprisingly, Regulation EC 261/2004 does not set a strict deadline for airlines to pay compensation.
However, national consumer laws and Aviation Authority guidelines suggest a reasonable timeframe is 30 days. If LOT does not respond within this window, you have the right to escalate the complaint to the Civil Aviation Authority (ULC in Poland) or take legal action.
The 3-Year Time Limit
In Poland, the statute of limitations for flight claims is 1 year (Regulation 205/2004 of the Polish Supreme Court). However, if you are claiming under EU law in other jurisdictions, it can be up to 3-6 years. Don't wait too long!