Cyberattack targeting a service provider for check-in and boarding systems caused major disruptions at several prominent European airports, including London’s Heathrow, Brussels and Berlin, on Saturday. The incident resulted in significant delays and numerous flight cancellations, impacting thousands of passengers across the continent.
The attack caused widespread flight delays and cancellations. Heathrow warned passengers of potential disruptions, citing a ‘technical issue’ in Collins’ software that affected electronic check-in and baggage handling systems.
While the provider works to resolve the problem quickly, we advise passengers to check their flight status with their airline before travelling,” Heathrow Airport wrote in a message posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Please arrive no earlier than three hours before a long-haul flight or two hours before a domestic flight. Additional colleagues are available in check-in areas to assist and help minimise disruption. We apologies for any inconvenience.”
Brussels Airport and Berlin Airport were also affected by the attack, they said in separate statements.
The attack has rendered automated systems inoperable, allowing only manual check-in and boarding procedures, Brussels Airport said on its website, adding the incident had occurred on Friday night.
“This has a large impact on the flight schedule and will, unfortunately, cause delays and cancellations of flights…The service provider is actively working on the issue and trying to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.”
The airport said that 10 flights had been cancelled so far, with an average delay of one hour for all departing flights.
U.S. carrier Delta Air Lines said it expected minimal impact to flights departing from the three affected airports, adding it had implemented a workaround to minimise disruption.
The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity said on Monday that Collins had suffered a ransomware attack. This is a type of cyber-attack where hackers in effect lock up the target’s data and systems in an attempt to secure a ransom.
RTX said on Saturday it was working to fix the problem as soon as possible, and that the incident affected its Muse software.
The attack has highlighted the risks around airports’ reliance on suppliers for critical technology. The European Commission said on Saturday that it was closely monitoring the incident, and that “current signs do not indicate a widespread or severe attack”.
