Polish air carrier LOT has said it is extending its suspension of international flights until June 14 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In a post on social media yesterday, the state-owned airline said its decision was “due to the unstable situation on the aviation markets, as well as numerous restrictions related to transport in the time of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic.”

Like most countries, Poland temporarily closed its borders mid-March to non-residents and suspended most international flights and train services in a move to contain the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic. Borders are set to remain closed until June 12th.

LOT also announced earlier this week that it would be resuming most domestic flights within Poland, following an earlier announcement by PKP that Polish railways would also be moving to resume normal rail services throughout the country.

Source: Radio Poland

Polish hospitality sector hit hard by coronavirus

Senior representatives from the hospitality sector have issued a dire warning that owners of hotels and other types of accommodation in Poland stand to lose upwards of PLN 2 billion (EUR 440 million) as a direct result of the coronavirus crisis.

According to Maciej Żakowski, co-founder of the industry publication Restaurant Week Polska, one-third of restaurant and bar owners may be forced to close in the months ahead. Speaking online during the European Economic Congress, Żakowski added that the number of customers in Polish restaurants could potentially shrink by 50%, resulting in additional financial concerns for the industry.

Restaurants, bars, and cafes across Poland were allowed to re-open as of last Monday but customers are required to disinfect their hands before entering and must wear face masks until seated at a table. The looming crisis has prompted many chefs and restauranteurs to issue appeals on social media calling for customers to support their favorite local cafes by dining in person, getting takeaway, or purchasing vouchers.

Source: Radio Poland

Poles urged to support domestic tourism

President Andrzej Duda echoed the concerns of the hospitality and tourism industry during a conference yesterday sponsored by the Polish Development Fund (PFR). Speaking during a session at the conference, Duda noted that “the entire tourism industry… is struggling with problems resulting from a lack of tourist traffic.” In response, Duda has joined members of the hospitality industry in urging Poles to spend their holidays in their home country in order to support the domestic economy.

Duda went on to discuss other measures underway to provide economic and financial support to businesses in Poland, in particular, the recently amended Anti-Crisis Shield (Tarcza Antykryzysowa). According to Duda, some 145,000 companies employing 1.5 million people have already received PLN 30 billion from the program, with applications still ongoing.

Source: Radio Poland, Radio Gdańsk

Calling all young vocalists

In anticipation of Children’s Day next month, Radio Gdańsk has opened a casting call for all aspiring young vocalists in Trójmiasto who want their talents to be broadcast on-air June 1st.

Aspiring singers under the age of 13 are encouraged to submit an audio recording of themselves singing any song–in Polish or another language–to the email address konkurs@radiogdansk.pl

After verifying all the submissions, the music editors at Radio Gdańsk will select the best songs to broadcast during a special edition of the musical program “Tak Gramy” or „Yes We Play” hosted by Tomek Galiński on June 1 at 10:00. The deadline for submissions is May 29th and further details can be found here: https://bit.ly/RG_vocal_competition

Upcoming live concerts at Radio Gdańsk

If you can’t wait until June 1st for some live musical entertainment, a reminder that tonight at 19:00 Radio Gdańsk will be broadcasting a live piano concert from acclaimed Polish pianist Piotr Pawlak as part of the Gdańsk Music Festival.

Additionally, on Friday acclaimed singer-songwriter and actress Julia Pietrucha will be in the studio at 20:00 to perform five specially-selected songs as part of the series „Mini Concerts at Radio Gdańsk.”

To stay updated on the latest news and events around Trójmiasto, follow us on Twitter @RadioGdanskNews

Weather
Today will be mostly sunny and cool with very little chance for rain and a gentle breeze coming in from the north. Temperatures will peak around a high of 12°C, or 53°F, dropping only slightly to 3°C or 37°F overnight. Sunny skies are set to continue through the end of the week with rain expected to return over the weekend.

RGEN