Krakow Airport has opened a new Non-Schengen passenger zone after converting its former cargo terminal into extra space for travellers. The airport said the temporary solution was needed because passenger numbers have been rising so fast that the main terminal can no longer cope at peak times.

The new area adds about 1,000 sq m of floor space and is designed to ease pressure on the departures hall, especially for flights outside the Schengen area. Airport managers described the project as a quick but civilised fix rather than a tent or a makeshift shed.

The move comes as the airport in Balice faces growing congestion in its existing terminal, where the departures area has struggled to handle demand during busy periods. The Non-Schengen section has been among the hardest hit, with passenger flows often stretching the facility beyond its limits.

The adapted cargo building is intended to provide immediate relief while the airport continues to manage rising traffic. It gives Krakow a separate space for passengers heading to destinations beyond the Schengen zone, where border checks and boarding procedures can take longer and create bottlenecks.

Airport operators have not presented the new zone as a permanent answer to the wider capacity problem. Instead, it is a practical response to current demand, allowing the airport to keep services moving while traffic continues to grow.

Krakow Airport is one of Poland’s busiest regional airports and has seen steady growth in recent years, driven by both leisure and business travel. That trend has put added strain on facilities built for lower volumes, prompting the airport to look for short-term solutions alongside longer-term plans.

By reusing an existing cargo terminal, the airport has avoided a more disruptive construction project. The approach also means the new passenger area could be brought into use more quickly than a full terminal expansion.

For travellers, the change should mean less crowding in the main departures hall and a more orderly experience before boarding Non-Schengen flights. For the airport, it is another sign that demand has outpaced the infrastructure available at one of the country’s key aviation gateways.