Flight chaos as cyberattack hits major European airports

• Some airlines like Delta and EasyJet reported only minor impacts and continued regular operations. Frankfurt Airport and Polish airports also escaped unscathed.

There’s been a wave of travel disruptions across several of Europe’s busiest airports after a cyberattack struck a key provider of airline check-in and boarding systems.

The incident has left passengers facing long queues, delays, and cancellations—most notably at London Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin.

Heathrow Airport confirmed that their systems provider, Collins Aerospace, was dealing with a “technical issue” that impacted check-in and boarding operations for several international airlines.

“While the provider works to resolve the problem quickly, we advise passengers to check their flight status with their airline before travelling. Please arrive no earlier than three hours before a long-haul flight or two hours before a domestic flight,” the airport advised.

To minimise chaos, extra staff have been dispatched to assist in check-in areas.

Brussels Airport traced the disruption to a cyberattack on Friday night (September 19), forcing staff to revert to manual check-in and boarding procedures.

Longer wait times

The airport explained, “There was a cyber-attack on Friday night against the service provider for the check-in and boarding systems affecting several European airports, including Brussels airport. This means that at the moment only manual check-in and boarding is possible.”

Passengers were warned of possible delays and cancellations and advised to avoid travelling to the airport if their flight didn’t operate.

Berlin Airport echoed similar challenges, telling travelers to expect longer wait times at check-in while work continues on a fix.

“Due to a technical issue at a system provider operating across Europe, there are longer waiting times at check-in. We are working on a quick solution,” the airport statement read.

Despite the widespread disruption, some airlines like Delta and EasyJet reported only minor impacts and continued regular operations. Frankfurt Airport and Polish airports also escaped unscathed, according to local officials.

Government transport leaders in the UK and Europe have been monitoring the situation as airports and service providers race to restore normal operations.

With travel still in flux, affected passengers are being urged to check for real-time updates and stay flexible with their plans for now.