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Heathrow Flights Disrupted After Cyber-Attack Hits European Airports

Heathrow Flights Disrupted After Cyber-Attack
Image Source: By John Sibley/Reuters

Flights at London Heathrow and other major European airports faced heavy disruption on Saturday after a cyber-attack hit software used for passenger check-in and boarding.

Airports in Brussels and Berlin also reported widespread delays and cancellations after Collins Aerospace – the company behind the Muse system used by several airlines – confirmed it had suffered a “cyber-related disruption.”

Passengers Warned to Expect Delays

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said she was being kept informed of developments and urged passengers to check with airlines before travelling.

“I’m aware of an incident affecting airline check-in and boarding, impacting flights at Heathrow and other European airports,” Alexander said. “If you’re flying at Heathrow today, check with your airline before travelling.”

Heathrow officials echoed the warning, advising travellers not to arrive earlier than three hours before a long-haul flight or two hours before a domestic service.

Manual Systems Struggle to Cope

At Brussels airport, officials said check-in and boarding were being handled manually after the outage began on Friday night. “This has a large impact on the flight schedule and will unfortunately cause delays and cancellations,” the airport said in a statement.

Berlin airport also reported longer waiting times, telling passengers: “Due to a technical issue at a system provider operating across Europe, there are longer waiting times at check-in. We are working on a quick solution.”

Passengers described long queues and confusion as staff resorted to handwriting luggage tags. Maria Casey, from Hampshire, said her Etihad flight from Heathrow was delayed for hours. “Only two desks were staffed, which is why we were cheesed off,” she told PA. “Didn’t know then it was a cyber-attack until four hours later.”

Collins Aerospace Responds

Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX, confirmed its Muse software was the target.

“We have become aware of a cyber-related disruption to our Muse software in select airports,” the company said. “We are actively working to resolve the issue and restore full functionality to our customers as quickly as possible. The impact is limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop and can be mitigated with manual check-in operations.”

Experts Raise Security Concerns

Professor Alan Woodward, a cybersecurity specialist at the University of Surrey, said the incident highlighted the risks of over-reliance on a single supplier.

“This suggests control of the system is probably centralised,” he said. “If Collins had to shut down part of the network to deal with the problem, disruption’s going to be enormous.”

Woodward also questioned why only three airports had so far been affected if the system is widely used across Europe, suggesting attackers may have targeted specific hubs.

Wider Fears Over Infrastructure

The attack has raised fresh concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure. Collins, in addition to providing airport services, also advises on cybersecurity and supports military operations.

With disruption expected to continue into Sunday, passengers across Europe have been advised to double-check flight information and prepare for extended waiting times.

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