Cyberattack on Collins Aerospace Disrupts Major European Airports

Some of Europe’s busiest airports, including London Heathrow, Berlin Brandenburg, and Brussels Airport, faced widespread disruptions after hackers targeted Collins Aerospace, a check-in and boarding systems provider owned by RTX. The cyberattack, which struck on Saturday, disabled Collins Aerospace’s MUSE software, used by several airlines, leading to flight delays, cancellations, and long queues.

Heathrow, Europe’s busiest hub, said on Sunday that the majority of flights continued to operate despite the outage, with efforts underway to fully restore normal operations. Aviation data firm Cirium reported that Heathrow experienced only minor delays, while Berlin faced moderate issues and Brussels dealt with significant but improving delays.

Brussels Airport confirmed that 45 out of 257 scheduled departures were canceled on Sunday. However, operational adjustments minimized disruption, with most passengers experiencing delays of 30 to 90 minutes. A traveler noted that those who had checked in online or traveled without baggage faced little difficulty, while others endured long waits.

Berlin Brandenburg Airport said it had implemented a manual workaround, preventing major cancellations, although some problems persisted. Officials emphasized they were cooperating with Collins Aerospace to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

RTX described the incident as a “cyber-related disruption” but did not provide further details. Regulators confirmed they are investigating the source of the attack.

This event highlights growing cybersecurity threats across critical sectors. Recent cyberattacks have already impacted industries from healthcare to automotive manufacturing, with breaches halting production at Jaguar Land Rover and causing significant financial losses at Marks & Spencer.

While disruptions eased significantly by Sunday, the incident underscored the vulnerability of global travel infrastructure to cyberattacks, raising concerns about the resilience of airline operations in an increasingly digital age.