Major airports across Europe are trying to cope with travel disruptions following cyber attacks against their electronic check-in and boarding system.
London Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, Berlin and Brussels are among the centres that faced flight delays and cancellations on Saturday.
Collins Aerospace, a provider of check-in and boarding systems for several airlines, said on Saturday that “cyber-related disruption” to its Multi-User System Environment software is causing delays at some airports.
MUSE, a passenger processing system that allows airlines to share check-in desks and boarding gate positions at an airport rather than having dedicated infrastructure, according to the company's website.
“We are working to resolve the issue and restore full functionality to our customers as quickly as possible,” the company said in a statement.
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Travellers queue at Brussels Airport in Belgium after a cyber attack affected electronic check-in and boarding systems at several major European airports. Reuters -
Brussels Airport said the attack had a 'large impact on the flight schedule' and would cause delays and cancellations. Reuters -
Travellers queue at a check-in area at London Heathrow Airport's Terminal 2. Collins Aerospace, a provider of check-in and boarding systems for several airlines, said 'cyber-related disruption' to its Muse software was causing delays at some airports. Reuters -
Travellers waiting at Heathrow Airport. Customers were warned of delays and advised to check their flight status with their airline before travelling. Reuters -
Flights at Berlin Airport in Germany were also affected by the cyber attack. AP
Heathrow Airport said Collins Aerospace is experiencing a technical issue that may cause delays for departing passengers.
"While the provider works to resolve the problem quickly, we advise passengers to check their flight status with their airline before traveling," the airport said in a post on X.
Berlin airport on Saturday also said there are longer waiting times than usual at check-in
"We are working on a quick solution," it said in a statement on its website.
Brussels airport said that the cyber attack means "that at the moment only manual check-in and boarding is possible".
"This has a large impact on the flight schedule and will unfortunately cause delays and cancellations of flights," according to a statement on its website.
The airport said that the service provider is "working on the issue" and trying to "resolve the problem as quickly as possible."
However later on Saturday it announced that half of flights scheduled for Sunday had been cancelled.
UAE airlines
Meanwhile, Etihad Airways said that check-in processes are "currently taking longer than usual" at London Heathrow and Brussels International Airport due to the technical issue impacting these systems at the two hubs.
"Etihad Airways staff are assisting guests with their check-in," the airline said in a statement. It advised passengers to arrive at the airport early to minimise delays.
"Technicians are actively working to restore the systems to normal operation as quickly as possible," it said.
Dubai-based Emirates said there has been no major impact to its operations.
Aviation's 'digital battlefield'
Cybersecurity is emerging as a top IT investment priority for airports, with nearly 40 per cent of all airports ranking it as their top priority, according to Sita's 2024 Air Transport Insights. Sita is an IT provider for the air transport industry.
Around 80 per cent of airports include cyber security in their top three areas of spend for the next 12 months, it said.
"This emphasis underscores airports’ commitment to safeguarding their systems and data against evolving and sophisticated threats, fraud, and risks," Sita said.
The aviation sector recorded a 600 per cent increase in cyber-attacks from 2024 to 2025, according to a June report by French aerospace company Thales.
"Behind any physical turbulence in the skies, a silent cyber war is being waged on the aviation sector," the report said. "From airlines and airports to navigation systems and suppliers, every link in the chain is vulnerable to attack."
The global aviation cyber security market is expected to reach $5.32 billion in 2025, with average annual growth estimated at 8.7 per cent by 2029, driven in particular by the increasing digitalisation of the sector and the intensified threat landscape, according to Thales.
“The aviation industry has become a digital battlefield with significant economic and geopolitical interests at stake," Ivan Fontarensky, chief technology officer at Cyber Detection and Response at Thales, said.
"The sharp increase in the number of attacks calls for a holistic approach to aviation cyber security, further moves to incorporate AI as an ally and closer collaboration between industry and the public sector.”
