Some of Europe’s largest airports, including the bustling Heathrow in London, scrambled on Sunday to restore normal operations following a significant disruption caused by a cyberattack on Saturday. The incident impacted check-in and boarding systems managed by Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX, resulting in chaos at key travel hubs such as London Heathrow, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, and Brussels Airport.
Passengers at these airports faced extensive waits, with long queues forming as travelers struggled to check in and board their flights amid numerous cancellations and delays. By early Sunday, airport officials reported a marked improvement in operations, although some delays continued.
Regulatory authorities were launched an investigation into the origins of the hacking incident, which is part of a troubling trend of cyberattacks affecting various sectors, from healthcare to automotive industries. Notably, a recent breach at Jaguar Land Rover halted production, while another cyber incident resulted in substantial financial losses for Marks & Spencer.
RTX characterized the disruption as a “cyber-related disruption,” specifically affecting its MUSE software that several airlines depend on. The company did not provide immediate comment regarding the situation on Sunday.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport reported ongoing challenges but stated it was cooperating with Collins Aerospace to resolve the issues. A temporary manual workaround was implemented, alleviating some immediate concerns about major delays or cancellations.
Meanwhile, Brussels Airport updated passengers on Sunday, confirming that the cyberattack was significantly impacting flight schedules, leading to further delays and cancellations.
Heathrow officials noted that they were actively working to recover from the check-in system failure, emphasizing that the majority of flights were still able to operate. An analysis from aviation data provider Cirium indicated that delays at Heathrow were minimal, while Berlin experienced moderate delays, and Brussels faced significant but decreasing delays.
Overall, while the situation showed signs of improvement by Sunday, the investigation into the breach and its implications for the affected airports and travelers continues.
