Flights across several of Europe’s busiest airports encountered significant disruptions on Saturday due to a cyberattack targeting check-in and boarding systems. Major airports such as London Heathrow, Brussels Airport, and Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport reported operational challenges caused by software failures that rendered automated systems inoperative.
Heathrow Airport announced that Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation responsible for its check-in and boarding systems, encountered a technical issue that could lead to delays for departing flights. By early afternoon, data from FlightAware indicated severe impacts on flight schedules, with 201 delays and 10 cancellations reported at Heathrow, alongside 139 delays and seven cancellations at Brussels Airport, and 101 delays and five cancellations at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport.
In response to the situation, RTX Corporation acknowledged a “cyber-related disruption” affecting its MUSE (Multi-User System Environment) software at selected airports. The company emphasized that it is actively working to resolve the issue and restore full operational functionality. According to Brussels Airport, passengers were required to go through manual check-in and boarding processes on Friday due to the cyberattack’s effects. Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport also indicated that passengers faced longer wait times as a result of the software malfunction.
Travelers at Heathrow were cautioned not to arrive more than three hours before long-haul flights or two hours for domestic services due to the ongoing delays. While British Airways was reportedly operating normally using a backup system, many other airlines experienced significant disruptions.
Aviation expert Paul Charles noted the sophisticated nature of the cyberattack, describing it as “very clever” given the coordinated impact across several airports and airlines. Collins Aerospace attempted to mitigate the situation, stating that the disruptions were limited to electronic check-in and baggage drop procedures, which could be addressed through manual operations.
Commenting on the difficulties faced by airline passengers, travel journalist Simon Calder described the day as “pretty grim” for those traveling by air. As of now, there has been no official statement regarding the specifics of the cyberattack or its origins. RTX has pledged to address the technical issues promptly while highlighting the security vulnerabilities exposed by this incident, which has raised concerns within the aviation industry regarding the protection of critical systems.
