Air travelers faced significant disruptions at several major European airports, including Heathrow and Brussels, following a cyber-attack that compromised a critical check-in and baggage handling system. The incident, which took place over the weekend, resulted in hundreds of flight delays, with many airlines resorting to manual check-in methods using pen and paper.
Brussels Airport, grappling with the fallout, announced that it had no timeline for restoring the affected system and urged airlines to cancel approximately half of their departing flights. The airport noted the ongoing disruptions, leading to frustration and long waits for passengers. Hundreds were seen queuing for hours, causing widespread inconvenience, especially for those with connecting flights.
The cyber-related disruption was traced back to the Muse software operated by Collins Aerospace, which allows different airlines to utilize common check-in desks and boarding areas rather than requiring separate facilities. RTX, the parent company of Collins Aerospace, acknowledged the issue but did not detail the specific cause of the outage or provide an estimate for when service would resume.
Heathrow reported ongoing issues as efforts to rectify the situation continued. Airport officials apologized to affected travelers but assured that most flights were still operating. British Airways was able to maintain its schedule by employing a backup system, although the majority of other airlines experienced significant setbacks. Flight data indicated that approximately 47% of departing flights from Heathrow were delayed, leading to hours-long wait times at check-in. Increased staff presence was noted in various areas to help alleviate some of the disruption.
Passengers shared their experiences, with one individual stating they had waited over two hours to check in for a Malaysia Airlines flight, while another traveler reported extended waits with elderly parents, ultimately missing their connecting flight due to the delays.
As the situation unfolded, Brussels Airport stated that it would continue manual check-in processes on Sunday and had already canceled 44 flights. Eurocontrol, Europe’s aviation safety organization, advised airlines to reduce their schedules by half until early Monday in response to the ongoing technical challenges. Dublin Airport also reported similar issues but believed it could maintain a full operational schedule, advising travelers to contact airlines directly for updates.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport encouraged passengers to utilize online or self-service check-in options amid the outages and reported that while there had been some cancellations, most delays remained under 45 minutes.
The National Cyber Security Centre confirmed its involvement in addressing the incident, collaborating with Collins Aerospace, affected UK airports, the Department for Transport, and law enforcement agencies to assess the situation fully. Meanwhile, the European Commission communicated that it was closely observing the cyber-attack, asserting there was no indication of a widespread or severe impact.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated that she was receiving regular updates and monitoring the situation. The aviation industry has faced scrutiny regarding its vulnerability to digital disruptions, notably after a previous incident in July involving a software update that caused significant flight delays across the US.
