Cyberattack cripples major European Airports

Air traffic across Europe was severely disrupted on Friday after a major cyberattack targeted critical check-in and boarding systems used by multiple airports, causing widespread delays, cancellations, and mounting frustration among travelers.

The attack struck systems operated by Collins Aerospace, a major aviation service provider whose electronic check-in and baggage handling technology is used in airports across the continent. Operations were significantly affected at Brussels Airport, Berlin Airport, and London’s Heathrow, among others.

"A cyberattack with an external company that handles check-ins and boarding… that system can't be used now. We have to ingest data manually,” said Ihsane Chioua Lekhli, spokesperson for Brussels Airport. “This takes longer and results in delays, cancellations, and long queues.”

Collins Aerospace, one of the world’s largest aviation and defense firms with over 80,000 employees, is now facing scrutiny over its cybersecurity resilience.

"This is not common at all," said Paul Charles, an aviation and travel expert. "They’ve got into the core system that enables airlines to check in passengers across multiple desks and airports. This is highly significant and deeply worrying."

As airports scrambled to recover, passengers were urged to check their flight status before heading to terminals.