Aviation
European Airports Face Chaos as Cyber-Attack Disrupts Flights Across Continent
Europe’s major airports remain in disarray after a cyber-attack on aviation software provider Collins Aerospace disrupted check-in and boarding systems over the weekend. The outage, which began on Friday, has forced airlines and airports to rely on manual systems, creating long queues, delays, and widespread cancellations.
On Monday, Brussels Airport asked airlines to cancel nearly half of its outbound flights—about 140 of 276 departures—due to the unresolved IT meltdown. Despite progress in some hubs, the airport confirmed the timeline for complete restoration remains “unclear.”
Meanwhile, London’s Heathrow Airport reported that about half of its airlines were back online using backup systems, including British Airways, which has continued operating from Terminal 5. But passengers at Terminals 3 and 4 still faced delays, confusion, and last-minute cancellations.
At Berlin Brandenburg Airport, officials said some carriers were still resorting to manual boarding with pen-and-paper, with no clear update on when systems would return to normal.
Collins Aerospace: At the Center of the Crisis
RTX-owned Collins Aerospace confirmed that its Muse software, which enables multiple airlines to share check-in desks and departure gates, suffered a cyber-related disruption. While the company has not disclosed details of the breach, it assured customers it was in the “final stages” of deploying software fixes.
Given Collins Aerospace’s high-profile client base—including NATO—the incident has raised serious questions about the cybersecurity vulnerabilities of critical aviation infrastructure.
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre is now working with Collins, affected airports, the Department for Transport, and law enforcement to assess the scope and cause of the attack.
Growing Cyber Threat to Aviation
Cyberattacks targeting the aviation industry have surged by 600% in the past year, according to French aerospace giant Thales. Analysts warn that the increased digitization of air travel systems makes airports prime targets for state-sponsored and criminal hacking groups.
While the European Commission stressed there was “no indication” that the attack was widespread or catastrophic, calls are mounting for transparency. The UK’s Liberal Democrats suggested Russia may have been behind the disruption, urging the government to disclose its assessment.
The incident echoes last year’s Crowdstrike software outage in the U.S., which caused a global IT meltdown and cost the economy billions.
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Passengers Caught in the Crossfire
For travelers, the cyber-attack translated into missed flights, long lines, and mounting frustration. Airlines across Europe are urging passengers to check flight status before heading to airports and to contact carriers directly for updates.
Despite the chaos, Heathrow Airport emphasised that “the vast majority of flights have continued to operate.” At the same time, Brussels Airport and Berlin Brandenburg airports admitted the disruptions could last several more days.
