Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Heathrow, Brussels and Berlin among those affected after provider’s systems are hit overnight
A cyberattack targeting a service provider for check-in and boarding systems has caused major disruption at multiple European airports, including Heathrow in London, Brussels Airport, and Berlin-Brandenburg.
The incident began on the night of Friday, September nineteenth, twenty-twenty-five, affecting electronic kiosks for self-check-in and baggage drop, forcing staff to revert to manual processes.
Collins Aerospace, a U.S. aviation-technology company and subsidiary of RTX, confirmed a “cyber-related disruption” of its MUSE (Multi-User System Environment) software at selected airports.
While full functionality is being restored, the affected systems remain offline.
Brussels Airport reported that only manual check-in and boarding are possible, and that the attack has had a “large impact” on its flight schedule, leading to cancellations and delays.
At Heathrow, management described the incident as a technical issue with its service provider, warning passengers to check their flights before travelling.
Berlin Airport acknowledged longer wait times at check-in and said it has disconnected affected systems from its network.
Some airports have so far escaped disruption: Frankfurt Airport stated it was not affected, Zurich’s airport reported normal operations, and others in Switzerland and Poland said they were operating as usual.
Airlines operating at impacted fields have scrambled to adjust, using back-ups where available.
For example, British Airways reported it was maintaining operations via a backup system at Heathrow.
Collins Aerospace said the impact is limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop.
It is working to restore full system functionality as swiftly as possible.
Passengers have been urged by all affected airports to verify flight status with their airline before heading to terminals.
The attack underscores the vulnerability of digital systems in aviation, particularly when key operations depend on a single provider.
It raises questions about the resilience of backup protocols and the speed with which airports can pivot to manual operations without causing cascading delays and cancellations.
The incident began on the night of Friday, September nineteenth, twenty-twenty-five, affecting electronic kiosks for self-check-in and baggage drop, forcing staff to revert to manual processes.
Collins Aerospace, a U.S. aviation-technology company and subsidiary of RTX, confirmed a “cyber-related disruption” of its MUSE (Multi-User System Environment) software at selected airports.
While full functionality is being restored, the affected systems remain offline.
Brussels Airport reported that only manual check-in and boarding are possible, and that the attack has had a “large impact” on its flight schedule, leading to cancellations and delays.
At Heathrow, management described the incident as a technical issue with its service provider, warning passengers to check their flights before travelling.
Berlin Airport acknowledged longer wait times at check-in and said it has disconnected affected systems from its network.
Some airports have so far escaped disruption: Frankfurt Airport stated it was not affected, Zurich’s airport reported normal operations, and others in Switzerland and Poland said they were operating as usual.
Airlines operating at impacted fields have scrambled to adjust, using back-ups where available.
For example, British Airways reported it was maintaining operations via a backup system at Heathrow.
Collins Aerospace said the impact is limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop.
It is working to restore full system functionality as swiftly as possible.
Passengers have been urged by all affected airports to verify flight status with their airline before heading to terminals.
The attack underscores the vulnerability of digital systems in aviation, particularly when key operations depend on a single provider.
It raises questions about the resilience of backup protocols and the speed with which airports can pivot to manual operations without causing cascading delays and cancellations.
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