Cyberattack Disrupts Operations at Major European Airports

A significant cyberattack on Saturday targeted multiple European airports, disrupting operations at major hubs including London Heathrow, Brussels, Dublin, and others. The incident led to flight delays and forced airlines to implement manual operations across affected airports.

At London Heathrow, the airport had scheduled 651 departures, while Brussels Airport and Dublin Airport had 228 and 226 departures scheduled, respectively. A spokesperson for Brussels Airport stated, “The cyberattack has had a huge impact on the flight schedules and will unfortunately cause delays and cancellations.” So far, there have been 10 cancellations reported at Brussels.

In an update on its official social media channel, London Heathrow attributed the disruptions to a technical issue at Collins Aerospace, which provides check-in and boarding systems for various airlines worldwide. The airport advised passengers to check their flight status with their respective airlines before proceeding. It also recommended that travelers arrive no earlier than three hours before long-haul flights or two hours before domestic flights. “Additional colleagues are available in check-in areas to assist and help minimise disruption. We apologise for any inconvenience,” the airport added.

Despite the widespread impact of the cyberattack, EasyJet reported normal operations. The airline urged passengers flying from London to complete their web check-in to streamline the travel experience.

Airlines globally issued advisories regarding the situation. Air India stated, “A third-party passenger system disruption at Heathrow may cause delays in the check-in process. Our ground teams in London are working to minimise inconvenience.” Similarly, United Airlines reported minor delays but no flight cancellations thus far. Delta Air Lines also confirmed that the impact on their operations was minimal, implementing workaround measures to alleviate disruptions.

A spokesperson from RTX, the parent company of Collins Aerospace, noted that the impact was primarily limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop processes but could be managed through manual check-in operations. They emphasized that efforts were underway to resolve the issue swiftly.

In response to the situation, Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) indicated that they were in communication with Berlin Airport regarding infrastructure disruptions linked to the global passenger handling system outage. Meanwhile, the British National Cyber Security Centre is collaborating with Collins Aerospace and the affected UK airports to fully understand the incident’s ramifications.

Heidi Alexander, the British Transport Minister, stated that she is closely monitoring the situation. “I am receiving regular updates on the situation,” she said.

As the investigation continues, passengers and airlines alike are navigating the complexities introduced by this cyberattack, highlighting the vulnerabilities within the aviation sector and the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures.