A LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 787-9 operating flight LO5N / LO27 from New York–JFK to Warsaw became the center of an ATC viral moment on November 18, 2025, after the crew reached the threshold of Runway 31L, only to reveal they were not actually ready for takeoff.
The exchange between the crew of LOT and the ATC tower at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), captured and shared by You Can See ATC, quickly drew attention for its mix of operational tension, timing pressure, and a firm rebuke from Kennedy Tower.
“We need two minutes”
As the Dreamliner approached the hold-short point for Runway 31L, the pilots made a request that immediately complicated matters:
“Tower, LOT 5N, we need two minutes.”
The tower continued working other traffic while waiting for LOT to settle their cockpit and cabin.
Then, assuming the aircraft was now ready, the controller issued the takeoff clearance:
“LOT 5N Heavy, Kennedy Tower, wind calm, 31L cleared for takeoff.”
But instead of rolling, LOT came back with yet another request:
“Uh… Tower, we need two minutes more or one minute. I will call you.”
This prompted the controller to ask directly what was going on.
“Cabin Not Prepared?”— LOT Is Told to Exit the Runway
When asked for clarification, the pilots revealed the real issue:
“We have cabin not prepared yet.”
Kennedy Tower’s response was sharp. The controller essentially cancelled the takeoff clearance and instructed LOT to exit the runway:
“Cabin is not prepared? And you’re number one at the runway? Ok Enter 31L, turn right Y, right on J.
This instruction effectively moved LOT out of the departure order, even though they were still physically ahead of the two aircraft behind them. In ATC terms, the sequence had already been reassigned.
“Cabin Is Ready Now” — But Their Slot Is Gone
Moments later, when the airplane was about to enter the runway the flight crew reported that they were ready:
“Okay, line up 31L. And we are ready now… cabin is ready now.”
But by this point, ATC had already restructured the lineup around LOT’s delay. The aircraft behind them were now expected to depart first.
When LOT said they are ready now, the tower delivered the firmest correction of the night:
“No, no, no, LOT 5N, we’re not doing this. Enter 31L, turn right Y… third time I told you this.”
LOT adjusted their taxi route accordingly, slotted back into the revised sequence, and eventually departed as third in the sequence, without further issue.
JFK’s Tempo Leaves No Room for Last-Minute Delays
JFK is one of the busiest airports in the world, moving more than 60 million passengers a year and running around 84–87 total operations per hour in its typical arrival-priority setup. During the evening push, departures roll off the active runway roughly every 70–90 seconds. At that tempo, even a brief pause at the threshold disrupts spacing and forces controllers to reshuffle several aircraft at once.
Put simply: the system is moving almost continuously, and it cannot absorb an unexpected “stop” without immediate knock-on effects.
A Divided Opinion
The clip has ignited a lively debate among pilots, controllers, and aviation followers. Some argue the LOT crew handled a routine, last-minute cabin issue appropriately and that the controller responded more harshly than necessary, even “teaching a lesson” rather than prioritizing efficiency. Others point to recent JFK clips and see a pattern of overly combative tower tone. But veteran controllers pushed back, noting how often aircraft reach the front of the line without being ready and defending the need for firmness in a high-pressure environment like JFK. The sharp divide reflects how differently the same exchange can be interpreted depending on whether one values operational flow, cockpit realities, or controller discipline.
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