European Airports’ Check-in Glitch After Cyberattack: What It Means for Travel and Business Operations
BERLIN: Some of Europe’s largest airports, including the busiest in the region, London’s Heathrow, are working swiftly to restore normal operations following a cyberattack that disrupted automatic check-in systems.
On Saturday, hackers targeted Collins Aerospace, a provider of check-in and boarding systems owned by RTX. This attack caused significant operational disruptions at Heathrow, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, and Brussels Airport, leading to long queues, flight cancellations, and delays for passengers.
By early Sunday, the disruption had considerably lessened, although some delays persisted. Airport officials and data sources confirmed ongoing recovery efforts, while regulatory authorities are actively investigating the origin of the cyberattack.
At Brussels Airport, 45 out of 257 scheduled departing flights on Sunday were cancelled. Despite this, operational adjustments helped keep passenger waiting times relatively low. A spokesperson noted delays ranging from 30 to 90 minutes, but it remains uncertain how much longer the disruptions will continue.
Passengers’ experiences varied, with some reporting minimal inconvenience. One traveler from Brussels described the situation as “business as usual” but acknowledged that those without online check-in or with checked baggage faced longer waits.
This incident is the latest in a series of cyberattacks impacting various sectors, from healthcare to automotive manufacturing. Recent breaches have affected companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, halting production, and Marks & Spencer, incurring losses amounting to hundreds of millions of pounds.
RTX described the event as a “cyber-related disruption” affecting its MUSE software, which is used by multiple airlines. The company was not available for immediate comment on Sunday.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport reported ongoing issues but confirmed collaboration with Collins Aerospace to resolve them. A manual workaround has been implemented, preventing major delays or cancellations thus far.
Heathrow Airport stated that recovery efforts were continuing, emphasizing that “the vast majority of flights have continued to operate” despite the check-in system outage.
According to aviation data provider Cirium, Heathrow experienced low delay levels, Berlin faced moderate delays, and Brussels dealt with significant but decreasing delays.
— Reuters
Special Analysis by Omanet | Navigate Oman’s Market
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