Cyberattack Cripples Check-in Systems Across Major European Airports
A sweeping airport cyber attack sent shockwaves through Europe’s aviation network on Saturday, forcing airlines to revert to old-fashioned manual check-ins and leaving passengers stranded in snaking queues.
The late breach, which struck late on Friday, targeted the check- heft and boarding platforms of a crucial technology provider used by several major airlines.
Airports in Brussels, Berlin, and London Heathrow were among the worst megahit, with trippers advised to anticipate significant dislocation to weekend schedules.
Brussels Airport confirmed the scale of the impact, admitting that the attack had a “large impact” on flight operations.
“There was a cyberattack on Friday night, 19 September, against the service provider for the check-in and boarding systems affecting several European airports, including Brussels Airport,” the airport said in a statement.
Staff were forced to process passengers by hand, creating long delays at counters and departure gates.
Germany’s capital was not spared. Officials at Berlin Brandenburg Airport revealed that a passenger-handling provider had been targeted, prompting operators to sever network connections to contain the breach.
Across the Channel, London Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest gateway, described the problem as a “technical issue” linked to a key supplier.
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A cyberattack on a service provider for check-in and boarding systems has caused major disruptions at several European airports,… pic.twitter.com/oOJ2MzTtZ2
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“Collins Aerospace, which provides check-in and boarding systems for several airlines across multiple airports globally, is experiencing a technical issue that may cause delays for departing passengers,” Heathrow said in a statement.
Security specialists are now probing whether the incident was a coordinated cyber strike or a single point of failure within the supplier’s network.
Collins Aerospace, a major aviation technology firm, has yet to confirm the source of the disruption.
Trippers across the mainland faced a day of query. airfields prompted passengers to check flight status online, arrive beforehand, and brace for possible cancellations.
Justifications poured in, but frustration grew as departure boards flitted with detainments. The attack highlights the fragile reliance of ultramodern aeronautics on participatory digital systems.
Experts advise that airfields remain high targets for cybercriminals seeking to cripple structures and cause chaos across borders. As investigators race to trace the intrusion, Europe’s skies are sluggishly recovering.
But this recent field cyber attack serves as a stark reminder in the digital age, a single breach can bring down an entire mainland.
