A large-scale cyberattack has disrupted operations at multiple European airports, including London Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin Brandenburg, causing delays and forcing staff to switch to manual check-in and baggage handling.
Heathrow Airport warned passengers of potential delays due to what it initially described as a “technical problem,” later confirmed to be linked to the Collins Aerospace Muse software system, used by several airlines for check-in and boarding.
Brussels Airport reported that passengers were checked in manually on Friday night, while Berlin Brandenburg also experienced longer wait times. RTX, the parent company of Collins Aerospace, acknowledged a “cybersecurity-related disruption” affecting some airports and said teams were working to restore the system.
According to the company, the impact is limited to electronic check-in and baggage processing, which can be temporarily managed with manual procedures. However, disruptions quickly escalated across affected hubs.
The BBC reported that British Airways is operating normally using a backup system, but most other airlines at Heathrow have been affected. Flight tracking site FlightAware noted that hundreds of flights were delayed on Saturday across impacted airports.
Dublin and Cork Airports confirmed minor disruptions, with some airlines reverting to manual check-in. Passengers expressed frustration at the chaos:
- Lucy Spencer, waiting more than two hours at Heathrow, said airline staff were hand-tagging baggage and struggling to process boarding passes.
- Monazza Aslam, also at Heathrow, described being stuck on the runway for over an hour, missing a connection in Doha, and being stranded with elderly parents since early morning.
This is one of the most significant cyber incidents targeting European aviation in recent years, highlighting vulnerabilities in shared airline software systems.
