European Airports Scramble to Restore Operations After Cyberattack Hits Check-in Systems

Some of Europe’s busiest airports, including London’s Heathrow, Berlin Brandenburg, and Brussels Airport, worked to resume normal operations on Sunday after a cyberattack disrupted their check-in systems.

Hackers targeted Collins Aerospace, a check-in and boarding systems provider owned by RTX, on Saturday, causing long queues, cancellations, and delays across several airports. The company later confirmed the incident as a “cyber-related disruption” that impacted its MUSE software used by multiple airlines.

By early Sunday, officials reported improvements in operations, though some delays persisted. At Brussels Airport, 45 of 257 scheduled flights were cancelled, with delays ranging from 30 to 90 minutes. A spokesperson noted it was unclear how long the disruptions would continue, while one passenger said, “For me, it was business as usual. For those poor souls who didn’t do online check-in or have bags to check, they may be waiting a bit.”

Berlin Brandenburg Airport confirmed ongoing technical issues but said a manual system was in place, avoiding major cancellations. Heathrow reported that “the vast majority of flights have continued to operate,” though recovery work was still underway.

The cyberattack is the latest in a series of global hacks affecting industries from healthcare to automobiles. Regulators are investigating the incident as aviation data provider Cirium noted delays were “low” at Heathrow, “moderate” at Berlin, and “significant” but easing at Brussels.