Several of Europe’s busiest airports, including Brussels, London Heathrow, and Berlin, continued efforts on Sunday to recover from a widespread cyberattack that disrupted critical check-in and boarding systems provided by Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX.
The attack, which began on Friday, caused major delays, flight cancellations, and long queues, particularly impacting travelers who had not checked in online or needed to check luggage.
Brussels Faces Ongoing Disruptions
Brussels Airport has been the hardest hit, with authorities requesting airlines to cancel 50% of Monday’s departures due to persistent system issues. On Sunday, 50 out of 257 scheduled flights were cancelled, up from 25 cancellations on Saturday. Airport officials said the decision was made to reduce pressure on airport services and avoid last-minute chaos.
A spokesperson confirmed that Collins Aerospace had not yet delivered a secure and fully updated version of its software, prompting the ongoing delays.
Collins Aerospace Response
Collins acknowledged the breach had impacted its MUSE software, used by several airlines globally, and stated it is in the final stages of implementing updates to restore normal operations. The company emphasized that manual check-in processes were helping mitigate disruption in the interim.
Impact on Other Airports
- Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest hub, reported that the “vast majority of flights” were operating, with delays remaining low as of Sunday.
- Berlin Brandenburg Airport said it had implemented a manual workaround and was seeing only occasional delays, with performance close to a regular operational day.
According to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium:
- Heathrow experienced low delays,
- Berlin saw moderate delays,
- Brussels continued to experience significant disruptions.
Passenger Reactions Mixed
Some travelers reported minimal disruption if they had checked in online. One passenger at Brussels Airport noted, “For me, it was business as usual. For those poor souls who didn’t do online check-in or have bags to check, they may be waiting a bit.”
Broader Cybersecurity Concerns
European regulators are now investigating the origin of the hack, which is the latest in a growing trend of cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure. The aviation sector joins a list of recent victims including Jaguar Land Rover and Marks & Spencer, both of which suffered major operational and financial impacts from cyber breaches.
