Cyberattack on European Airports: Widespread Disruption to Check-In Systems

A cyberattack that began late Friday caused major disruptions to passenger check-in systems across several European airports, forcing airlines and airport staff to rely on manual processes. The outage entered its second full day on Sunday, with Brussels Airport facing the most severe impact.

The attack targeted systems provided by Collins Aerospace, a U.S.-based aviation technology company whose software is used for electronic check-in, baggage tagging, and luggage dispatch. The company confirmed it was dealing with a “cyber-related disruption” at select European airports.

Impact on Major Airports

• Brussels Airport:

  • Canceled 25 outbound flights on Saturday and 50 on Sunday.

  • Announced that nearly 140 departing flights scheduled for Monday would also be canceled.

  • Reported that the disruption was ongoing because Collins Aerospace had not yet delivered a secure version of the affected check-in system.

  • Despite the disruption, 85% of weekend flights operated, aided by additional staff and the continued availability of online check-in and self-service bag drop.

• London Heathrow and Berlin Brandenburg:

  • Both airports reported initial issues but were showing signs of recovery by Sunday.

  • Brandenburg Airport warned of longer waiting times due to system outages but encouraged passengers to use self-service and online check-in options.

Manual Operations and Passenger Guidance

In the absence of fully functioning digital systems, airline staff at affected airports turned to backup methods, including:

• Handwritten boarding passes.

• Manual laptop-based check-ins.

• Reliance on self-service kiosks and online check-in systems, which remained unaffected.

Airports advised passengers to check flight status before traveling and use alternative check-in methods wherever possible.

Response from Authorities and Collins Aerospace

Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX Corp., stated the disruption was limited to electronic check-in and baggage drop systems and could be mitigated with manual processes. The company has not publicly identified the source of the attack.

The European Commission emphasized that aviation safety and air traffic control remained unaffected. Investigations are ongoing, and officials have not attributed the incident to any specific hacker group or nation-state actor.

Broader Implications

The timing of the cyberattack — coinciding with one of the busiest travel periods — underscores the fragility of digital systems in aviation infrastructure. Cybersecurity experts warn that targeting airport operations could provide significant leverage for attackers, whether criminal organizations or state-backed actors.

While recovery efforts continue, the incident highlights the critical importance of cybersecurity resilience in the aviation industry, where disruptions have immediate and large-scale effects on travelers and economies alike.