On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) announced that, at the request of the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command (DO RSZ), an airspace restriction in the form of restricted area EP R130 will be introduced in eastern Poland from 00:00 UTC on March 10, 2026, until 23:59 UTC on June 9, 2026. The restricted area will cover airspace from ground level up to FL95, which in simplified terms corresponds to an altitude of about 3 km. As a result, the restriction does not affect passenger aircraft operating at higher altitudes. The new restriction replaces the currently active EP R129 restriction.
Map: PANSA
From sunset to sunrise (at night), a complete flight ban applies within the EP R130 restricted area, with the exception of military aircraft and takeoffs and landings coordinated with COP-DKP from Depułtycze Królewskie Airport (EPCD). During this time, EP R130 will be treated as unclassified airspace.
From sunrise to sunset (during the day), flights within EP R130 are prohibited except for:
- Manned aircraft operating with a filed flight plan, equipped with a functioning transponder operating in Mode A and C or Mode S, maintaining continuous air-to-ground voice communication monitoring with the appropriate ATS authority, and establishing two-way communication on the appropriate ATS frequency when required;
- Military aircraft;
- Flights conducted under the GARDA or ALPHA SCRAMBLE code words;
- Aircraft with HEAD, STATE, SAR, HOSP, MEDEVAC, or FFR status;
- Civil unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operating without violating the Belarus ADIZ or Ukraine ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zones).
Following coordination with the Operational Duty Service of the Air Operations Centre – Air Component Command (DSO COP-DKP) at +48 261 828 202, flights that do not meet the above criteria may be permitted for:
- State aviation and air rescue services;
- Flights conducted to provide assistance in cases of threats to human or animal life or health, including during natural disasters, accidents, ecological threats, or emergency situations;
- Operations related to the protection and monitoring of critical infrastructure;
- Operations conducted within designated special TRA areas, established after consultation with the COP-DKP Operational Duty Service, under agreed rules and conditions.
The restricted area will be active 24 hours a day. It is reminded that entering an active R restricted area by aircraft that do not meet the exemption criteria constitutes a violation of aviation law.
The restriction has been introduced due to the need to ensure state security, in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure of January 18, 2019, on flight restrictions for periods not exceeding three months.
Flight operations without RMZ (Radio Mandatory Zone), TMZ (Transponder Mandatory Zone), or mandatory flight plan (FPL) requirements—except for the listed exemptions—will only be possible within designated special TRA areas. Applications for establishing such areas should be submitted to PANSA, which will forward them to the military side for analysis regarding the feasibility of designating the area at the requested location. Due to limitations in the designation and management of such areas—resulting from ongoing military activity in the region to ensure national security—it is recommended that entities interested in these zones cooperate with each other and apply jointly for shared airspace, requesting only the amount necessary to conduct their flight operations.
Each applicant must be able to meet the following mandatory conditions – during the entire period of the zone’s activation, the entity managing the zone must ensure the availability of a flight coordinator on the ground, who:
- is continuously reachable via a designated telephone number;
- is able to communicate by radio or phone with every pilot operating within the zone;
- in the event of an urgent requirement to deactivate the zone, can immediately inform every pilot in the zone of the need to land;
- ensures that all aircraft operating within the zone land within a maximum of 25 minutes after receiving the deactivation request.
Failure to meet any of these conditions automatically disqualifies the application for establishing such a zone.
The restriction has been published in NOTAM D1284/26 and N1284/26.
The previous restriction EP R129 was introduced on September 10, 2025, following the incursion of Russian Gerbera drones into Poland. It was originally set to expire on December 9, but was later extended until March 9, 2026.
Na wniosek @DowOperSZ od 10.03.2026 od godz. 00:00 UTC do godz. 23:59 UTC 09.06.2026 zostanie wprowadzone ograniczenie ruchu lotniczego we wschodniej części Polski w postaci strefy EP R130 od ziemi do FL95. Nie obejmie ono samolotów pasażerskich. Więcej: https://t.co/LL2si1R6Em
— PANSA (@PANSA_PL) March 3, 2026