Cyberattack disrupts flights at London, Brussels and other major European airports

The incident resulted in significant delays and numerous flight cancellations, impacting thousands of passengers across Europe.

A cyberattack targeting a service provider for check-in and boarding systems caused major disruptions at several prominent European airports, including Londons Heathrow, Brussels and Berlin, on Saturday. The incident resulted in significant delays and numerous flight cancellations, impacting thousands of passengers across the continent.

Collins Aerospace, which operates the affected systems for airlines and airports worldwide, reported ongoing technical issues linked to the attack. Heathrow Airport warned departing passengers of probable delays and urged them to monitor their flight status closely during the disruption.

Brussels Airport confirmed that automated check-in and boarding services were inoperable, forcing staff to use manual processes to handle departing passengers. This has a large impact on the flight schedule and will unfortunately cause delays and cancellations of flights...The service provider is actively working on the issue and trying to resolve the problem as quickly as possible, the airport said. Passengers due to travel on Saturday were advised by airport authorities to confirm their journey with their airline before setting out. The disruption affected travellers at multiple locations, with the extent of delays varying by airport and carrier.

Berlin Airport also communicated the situation via a banner on its website, stating: Due to a technical issue at a system provider operating across Europe, there are longer waiting times at check-in. We are working on a quick solution, Berlin Airport said in a banner on its website.

However, Poland’s deputy prime minister and digital affairs minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, said on Saturday that there are no signs of threats to the country’s airports, despite cyberattacks disrupting operations in several parts of Europe.

Information on the situation is being continuously gathered, and Polish authorities are in contact with authorities in other countries, Gawkowski wrote on X. Also, Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s largest, reported normal operations, with a spokesperson confirming no impact. Zurich Airport similarly stated it was unaffected, according to an official from its operations control centre.

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