Passengers traveling through London Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin encountered significant delays over the weekend due to an alleged cyber-attack affecting check-in desk software. The incident, which began on Friday night, impacted systems operated by Collins Aerospace, a key provider of check-in technology for various airlines, prompting a shift to manual check-in processes.
Travelers were advised to verify their flight statuses before heading to the airport, and to arrive no earlier than three hours for long-haul flights and two hours for short journeys. Collins Aerospace confirmed on Saturday that it was addressing a “cyber-related incident.” Should this incident indeed be classified as a hack, it would join a growing catalog of cyber-attacks that have plagued major companies in recent months. Notably, Jaguar Land Rover, the UK’s largest automotive employer, has been unable to manufacture vehicles for three weeks due to a similar breach, while retailers Marks & Spencer and the Co-op have also experienced separate cyber-attacks this year.
Despite the technical challenges, airlines managed to check in passengers manually. However, the disruptions resulted in 35 flight cancellations on Saturday and an additional 38 by mid-morning on Sunday across the three airports, as reported by the aviation data company Cirium. At Heathrow alone, over 130 flights experienced delays of 20 minutes or more by 11 a.m. on Sunday. Although 13 flights were canceled the previous day, the majority of the many scheduled flights faced delays rather than outright cancellations.
A spokesperson for Heathrow stated that the “underlying problem was outside our influence,” but emphasized that additional staff had been deployed to assist in managing the disruption. They conveyed an apology to passengers impacted by the delays, while noting that the airport was collaborating closely with airlines to ensure that the majority of flights continued to operate.
In Brussels, every one of the more than 80 flights scheduled by midday experienced delays, some ranging from 15 minutes to four hours. The airport acknowledged it was grappling with “difficult airport operations” due to the cyber-attack on an external service provider responsible for check-in and boarding systems.
Berlin’s airport reported more than 70 delayed flights by midday, though some had managed to depart as scheduled. Officials urged travelers to utilize online check-in, self-service options, and fast bag drop services to alleviate waiting times.
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated that she was closely monitoring the evolving situation and urged passengers to consult with their airlines before making their way to the airports.
Collins Aerospace indicated that the cyber-related disruption had specifically impacted its Muse software, which is utilized for electronic check-in and baggage drop. The company, which operates under the umbrella of New York-listed RTX, one of the world’s largest aerospace and defense conglomerates, assured that it was “actively working to resolve the issue and restore full functionality to our customers as quickly as possible.”
