Major European Airports Grapple with Lingering Disruptions After Cyberattack on Check-in Systems
Major European Airports Grapple with Lingering Disruptions After Cyberattack on Check-in Systems
Major European airports are still navigating the fallout from a cyberattack that targeted essential check-in and boarding systems over the weekend. The incident, which began Friday night, September 19, and caused significant disruptions on Saturday, September 20, primarily affected the Multi-User System Environment (MUSE) software provided by aviation technology firm Collins Aerospace.
Air traffic at several key hubs, including Brussels Airport, Berlin’s Brandenburg (BER), and London’s Heathrow, experienced delays and operational challenges. While initial reports suggested a limited impact, the attack necessitated a widespread shift to manual check-in and boarding procedures across affected facilities.
Brussels Airport spokesperson Ihsane Chioua Lekhli reported nine flights canceled, four redirected, and 15 delayed by an hour or more by Saturday mid-morning. Berlin’s Brandenburg airport, though not reporting cancellations directly linked to the cyberattack by late morning Saturday, acknowledged potential changes as operators disconnected affected systems.
Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, stated that disruptions were “minimal” with no direct flight cancellations attributed to the Collins Aerospace issue, though specific delay figures were not provided.
Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX Corp., confirmed a “cyber-related disruption” to its MUSE software at “select airports” and is actively working to restore full functionality. The company emphasized that the impact is limited to electronic check-in and baggage drop, which can be mitigated through manual operations. Airports continue to advise travelers to check their flight status before heading to the airport as recovery efforts continue.
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