Major European Airports Hit by Hackers, Leaving Thousands Stranded

Several major airports across Europe were left reeling over the weekend as cyberattacks on their electronic check-in and boarding systems caused widespread disruptions, resulting in flight cancellations and delays.

London's Heathrow Airport was among those affected, with 73 flights cancelled in just under two days. The issue was linked to a cyberattack on the services provider, Collins Aerospace, which provides external check-in and boarding systems to several European airports.

Airports in Berlin and Brussels were also impacted, with flight delays and cancellations mounting over the weekend. At Heathrow alone, more than 130 flights had been delayed as of Sunday morning. The disruptions started on Friday night and continued into Sunday, causing chaos for passengers trying to travel.

But that was just the beginning. Dublin and Cork airports in Ireland were also affected by the cyberattack, leaving thousands of travelers stranded. Brussels Airport warned that flight delays and cancellations would continue on Monday as well.

The Cause: A Cyberattack on Collins Aerospace

The incident was blamed on a "cyberattack on the American company Collins Aerospace," according to a statement by Brussels Airport. The company confirmed the episode to AFP, saying that it had become aware of a cyber-related disruption to its MUSE software in select airports.

"It is still unclear when the issue will be resolved," said the airport's statement. But with manual check-ins and baggage drops still possible, passengers were warned to expect longer waiting times and were urged to check their flight status in advance.

Previous Attacks on Collins Aerospace

This was not the first time that Collins Aerospace had been hit by cyberattacks. In 2023, the company was targeted by ransom-seeking hackers, according to several breach-hacking websites cited by Reuters.

No groups claimed responsibility for the latest attack, and it remains unclear who is behind the disruption. But with thousands of travelers affected and flight schedules in disarray, one thing is clear: cyberattacks are becoming an increasingly serious threat to air travel.