Attention: Flight cancellations and delays hit Europe airports after cyberattack
Severe disruption left passengers stranded at several major European airports over the weekend, including London Heathrow and Brussels Zaventem, after a cyberattack targeted key boarding systems. Travellers faced massive cancellations and hours-long delays.
Boarding chaos and widespread flight cancellations
Air traffic ground to a halt, partially or entirely, at multiple major airports across Europe over the weekend. The attack affected the MUSE software developed by US-based Collins Aerospace, which is used globally by numerous airlines and airports for passenger check-in and baggage handling, according to Pénzcentrum. As a result of the system failure, airlines were forced to switch to manual processing, leading to significant backlogs.
London Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, confirmed it was affected by the incident. Similar reports came from airports in Berlin, Brussels, Dublin, and Cork. By early Saturday afternoon, 29 departures and arrivals had been cancelled at Heathrow, Berlin, and Brussels. That number continued to rise: according to The Guardian, 35 flights were cancelled on Saturday, with the figure increasing to 38 by late Sunday morning.
Delays were also widespread. According to Flightradar24 data, more than 130 flights at Heathrow were delayed by at least 20 minutes by 11 AM on Sunday. In Brussels, virtually all flights experienced delays by midday, while over 70 flights in Berlin failed to depart on schedule.
Half of Brussels flights cancelled on Sunday
Airport authorities in Brussels issued an early warning to passengers and asked airlines to cancel half of their scheduled flights on Sunday in a bid to ease congestion and avert chaos. This move suggests the problem was not a short-term glitch but a more persistent operational failure.
The delays left thousands of travellers stranded in terminals, with many waiting hours for updates. Check-in and baggage handling processes moved slowly due to the reliance on manual procedures.
Part of a broader cyberattack wave?
RTX, the parent company of Collins Aerospace, acknowledged a cybersecurity vulnerability and stated they are working on a resolution, though they did not specify which airports were affected.
Experts believe this attack is part of a broader wave of international cyber incidents that have recently targeted multiple sectors, from healthcare to the automotive industry. Just weeks ago, luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover was forced to halt production due to a similar event.
An EU spokesperson said on Sunday that there was currently no information indicating a large-scale or severe attack, but investigations are ongoing.
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