Cyberattack on Check-In Systems Disrupts Major European Airports
Several major European airports—including London Heathrow, Berlin Brandenburg, and Brussels—faced flight delays and cancellations on Saturday following a cyberattack against a company responsible for passenger check-in systems.
Heathrow officials reported that supplier Collins Aerospace, whose technologies underpin check-in and boarding procedures at numerous international airports, was experiencing technical disruptions that could lead to flight delays. Passengers were advised to check flight statuses in advance and to arrive no more than three hours before long-haul departures and two hours for short-haul flights.
British Airways, the airport’s largest carrier, stated it was unaffected thanks to a backup system that allowed normal customer operations to continue. Gatwick and Luton likewise reported no issues. Meanwhile, Brussels Airport confirmed that by 11 a.m. around ten flights had been canceled and at least fifteen delayed by an hour or more. Staff were forced to manually process passenger and baggage records after the registration service was hit by an attack on the evening of September 19, leaving manual input as the only option.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport also warned travelers to expect longer waiting times at check-in.
RTX, the parent company of Collins Aerospace, confirmed a “cyber-related disruption” in its MUSE software at several airports. The company emphasized that the outage affected only electronic check-in and baggage systems and could be partially mitigated through manual processing.
This is not the first security incident linked to the company. In 2023, after a ransomware attack claimed by the group BianLian, sensitive data on pilots and partner employees—including names, addresses, and contact information—was leaked online.
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