A cyberattack that began Friday, Sept. 19, has forced European airports in Brussels, Berlin and London to revert to manual check-in and boarding procedures, causing widespread delays and cancellations.
Third-Party Infiltration
The attack targeted Collins Aerospace, a U.S.-based aviation and defence technology company that supplies check-in and boarding systems used by a number of airlines and airports across Europe.
The breach left staff scrambling, systems faulty, and passengers having to be processed manually.
According to travel analyst Paul Charles:
This is a very clever cyberattack […] They’ve got into the core systems that enable airlines to effectively check-in many of their passengers at different desks at different airports
Airports hit hard
Brussels, Berlin Brandenburg Airport and London Heathrow Airport were met with drawn-out delays and cancellations.
Brussels reported over 70 flight cancellations over the weekend and has asked airlines to cancel nearly 50% of outgoing flights for Monday. A spokesperson for Brussels Airport said:
The service provider is actively working on the issue and trying to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. At the moment, it is still unclear when the issue will be resolved.
This incident follows a very busy summer for Brussels Airlines.
Meanwhile, Berlin Brandenburg advised passengers to use online and self-service check-in operations to mitigate delays, whilst London Heathrow reported severe delays and growing passenger frustrations.
British authorities responded quickly, with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) working closely with Collins Aerospace, affected British airlines, the Department for Transport and law enforcement to fully assess the impact of the incident and reinforce defences. According to the NCSC website:
All organisations are urged to make use of NCSC’s free guidance, services and tools to help reduce the chances of a cyber attack and bolster their resilience in the face of online threats.
Charlotte Wilson, head of enterprise at cybersecurity firm Check Point, emphasised the attractiveness of the aviation industry to cyber criminals:
Exploiting third-party platforms that are used by multiple airlines and airports at once
What Travellers Should Know
As airlines and airports begin to recover from the attack, passengers are advised to:
- Monitor their flight status closely
- Use online and self-service check-in options
- Arrive early to account for potential delays
This incident highlights the threats that cyberattacks pose to the infrastructure of the aviation industry. The investigation is still ongoing, however airports are functioning with operational delays. Stay safe and stay aware, and let us know in the comments if you were affected by the attack.
