Cyberattack disrupts check-in systems at major European airports

A CYBERATTACK has disrupted check-in and boarding systems across several major European airports, forcing operators to revert to manual procedures and causing significant delays to flights.

AP reported on Saturday that Brussels Airport reported that the incident had a “large impact” on its flight schedule after its check-in and boarding systems, operated by an external service provider, were hit on Friday night, 19 September.

“There was a cyberattack on Friday night against the service provider for the check-in and boarding systems affecting several European airports including Brussels Airport,” the airport said in a statement. As a result, only manual check-in and boarding was possible.

Authorities at Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport also confirmed an attack on a passenger handling systems provider on Friday evening, prompting operators to disconnect from affected systems as a precautionary measure.

In the United Kingdom, London Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest, said a “technical issue” was affecting a service provider used by multiple airlines. “Collins Aerospace, which provides check-in and boarding systems for several airlines across multiple airports globally, is experiencing a technical issue that may cause delays for departing passengers,” Heathrow said.

The disruptions stem from issues with Collins Aerospace’s MUSE (Multi-User System Environment) software, which is used globally for automated passenger check-in, baggage drop and boarding procedures.

Collins Aerospace, a U.S.-based aviation and defence technology company under RTX Corp. (formerly Raytheon Technologies), confirmed it was “aware of a cyber-related disruption” affecting the MUSE system at “select airports”.

“We are actively working to resolve the issue and restore full functionality to our customers as quickly as possible,” the company said. “The impact is limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop and can be mitigated with manual check-in operations.”

While several airports were impacted, others — including Roissy Charles de Gaulle, Orly, and Le Bourget in the Paris region — reported no disruptions.

Passengers across affected locations were advised to check the status of their flights and to allow extra time at the airport. - September 20, 2025