A wave of travel disruptions recently hit major European airports, leaving passengers facing unexpected delays and even cancellations. It wasn’t bad weather or airline strikes, but a cyberattack on Collins Aerospace, a company you might not know by name, but whose technology quietly powers many essential airport functions like check-in and ticketing systems.
London’s massive Heathrow Airport was among the first to feel the impact, with significant hurdles emerging in its daily operations. Soon after, airports in Brussels, Belgium, and Berlin, Germany, also stepped forward. They confirmed they too were caught in the digital crossfire, suffering similar service interruptions.
RTX, the parent company of Collins, quickly issued a statement through Reuters. They clarified that the attack’s effects were mostly limited to the airport’s check-in and baggage drop systems. While inconvenient, they suggested these issues could be worked around with good old-fashioned manual processing. RTX assured everyone they were racing to fix the problems as fast as humanly possible.
Brussels Airport painted an even clearer picture of the chaos. They revealed that the cyberattack had completely knocked out all automated systems. This meant every single airport operation, from passengers checking in to boarding their flights, suddenly had to be handled by hand. Imagine the queues.
Given the widespread issues, European airports universally advised travelers to take an extra step. Before even leaving home, they urged passengers to verify their flight details directly with their specific airline to avoid unwelcome surprises at the terminal.