Multiple Flights Canceled and Delayed as Hackers Target Several Airports with Cyber Attacks

Multiple airports across Europe faced major disruptions after a suspected cyberattack affected their boarding systems.

At around 9 p.m. local time on Friday, Sept. 19, the attack began impacting the automated IT system used by several airlines, according to The Times. This caused flight delays and cancellations as staff had to process passengers manually.

London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) apologized for the inconvenience on X, describing the situation as a “technical issue.”

“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,” LHR said.

The airport advised passengers to “check their flight status with their airline before traveling” while the problem is being fixed.

“Additional colleagues are available in check-in areas to assist and help minimize disruption,” LHR added.

Photos online showed passengers waiting in long lines as they tried to board planes amid the technical problems.

On Saturday, Sept. 20, Brussels Airport was also heavily affected by the suspected cyberattack.

“This means that at the moment, only manual check-in and boarding are possible,” the airport said on its website.

Airlines were asked to cancel about half of their flights to and from Brussels Airport between 6:00 a.m. local time on Saturday and 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21, BBC News reported.

Berlin Airport also reported “longer wait times” due to a “technical issue,” according to Sky News.

RTX, the company that owns Collins Aerospace, said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that they are actively working to fix the problem.

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

Münster/Osnabrück Airport in Germany said it was “only indirectly affected” by the suspected cyberattack, calling it a “technical malfunction.” The airport redirected its handling systems to internal IT infrastructure, according to Sky News.

Passengers expressed frustration over the disruption, with many unsure when they would be able to board their planes.

“I’ve been at Heathrow with my elderly parents since 5:00 a.m.… I have no idea when we will fly,” passenger Monazza Aslam told BBC News.

Luke Agger-Joynes, traveling to the U.S., said that despite the long lines, the airport “seems to be prepared and the queues are moving much faster than I feared.”

“They are also calling out specific flights and picking people out of the queue to ensure they don’t miss their flights,” he added, according to the BBC.