Cyberattack Disrupts Operations at Major European Airports, Media Reports

Over the weekend, disruptions led to the cancellation of more than 70 flights in London, Berlin, and Brussels.

Several major European airports experienced disruptions to their electronic check-in and boarding systems, leading to flight cancellations and delays over the weekend. Media reports attribute the issue to a cyberattack targeting the services provider.

Airports affected included London’s Heathrow, as well as those in Berlin and Brussels. The Guardian reported that seventy-three flights were cancelled in those three cities in under two days.

Reports indicated that over 130 flights were delayed at Heathrow alone by Sunday morning. AFP noted that Brussels airport had to delay all 80 flights scheduled for the first half of Sunday, and airports in Dublin and Cork, Ireland, were also impacted.

The disruptions began Friday night and stretched into Sunday. Brussels airport cautioned that flight delays and cancellations were expected to continue on Monday. The airport attributed the incident to a “cyberattack on the American company Collins Aerospace, the external provider of check-in and boarding systems,” adding that “it is still unclear when the issue will be resolved.”

Collins Aerospace confirmed to AFP on Saturday that it had “become aware of a cyber-related disruption to our MUSE software in select airports.”

The outages were limited to electronic services, with manual check-in and baggage drop-off remaining available. Airports advised passengers to anticipate longer wait times and to check their flight status in advance.

The identity of the cyberattackers remains unknown, as no group has claimed responsibility or made any demands. Reuters, citing breach-hacking websites, reported that Collins Aerospace was previously targeted by ransom-seeking hackers in 2023. The company did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

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