Passengers at Heathrow Airport have faced overwhelming disruption due to an alleged cyber attack that impacted check-in and boarding systems at several major European airports, including Berlin and Brussels. The incident has left many travelers stranded, with reports of delays and cancellations affecting countless flights.
One affected traveler, Helen Steel, expressed her distress as she attempted to fly from Heathrow to Oslo via Amsterdam with her cat, Thomas. Steel shared her frustration, stating that she arrived at the airport early in the morning, unaware of the cyber attack that had been reported the previous day. “If they just told us that there was a cyber attack, I wouldn’t have travelled up here,” she lamented. Overwhelmed by the stressful situation and with concerns for her pet’s welfare, she described breaking down in tears after receiving a shouting reprimand from airport staff. Despite her attempts to secure information, she found little help and was left waiting in long queues for assistance.
The scene at Terminal 4 was chaotic, with long queues snaking through the terminal as some passengers opted to sit on the floor due to the lack of seating. An overwhelmed Maria Casey, who was on her way toThailand for a two-week backpacking trip, highlighted the manual process for baggage check-in that contributed to the extensive delays. “They had to write our baggage tabs by hand,” she remarked, noting that only two desks were operational.
Freelance journalist Tereza Pultarova also faced difficulties as she sought to make her connecting flight to Cape Town. Arriving at the airport early in the morning for a 6:30 AM flight, she encountered a frustrating situation where boarding passes could not be issued digitally due to the system failure. With check-in moving at an agonizing pace, she was eventually told that her flight would close before she could board. Pultarova pointed out the critical timing of her trip, needing to reach her destination for an important visit to the Square Kilometre Array telescopes.
The company at the center of the disturbance, Collins Aerospace, acknowledged the situation in a statement, confirming that their software was experiencing a cyber-related disruption. They emphasized efforts to resolve the issues swiftly, reassuring customers that manual check-in operations could mitigate the impact.
Officials from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) indicated that they are collaborating with Collins Aerospace and affected airports to fully assess the incident. They urged all organizations to adopt guidance and tools to strengthen their defenses against cyber attacks.
In the meantime, Heathrow Airport has been advising passengers to check their flight statuses before making their way to the airport, as the ripple effects of this cyber incident continue to unfold.
