Cyber-Attack Disrupts Operations at Heathrow and Key European Airports

Sun Oct 19 2025 17:46:20 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A cyber-attack has caused significant delays at Heathrow and several major European airports, affecting check-in and baggage systems internationally. Passengers face long queues and manual processing as airlines work to resume normal operations.

Heathrow Airport and various other European airports, including Brussels and Berlin, are experiencing extensive delays due to a cyber-attack on a crucial electronic check-in system. Passengers are currently being handled manually while the affected company, Collins Aerospace, investigates the disruption. Airline operations are severely impacted, prompting urgent advisories for travelers.

Heathrow is among several European airports hit by a cyber-attack affecting an electronic check-in and baggage system.

The airport warned of possible delays due to a technical issue affecting software provided by Collins Aerospace to several airlines.

Brussels Airport said a cyber-attack on Friday night meant passengers were being checked in and boarded manually, while Berlin's Brandenburg Airport also reported longer waiting times due to the problem.

RTX, which owns Collins Aerospace, said it was aware of a cyber-related disruption to its system in select airports and that it was working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

The company added: The impact is limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop and can be mitigated with manual check-in operations.

It said the attack hit its Muse software - which allows different airlines to use the same check-in desks and boarding gates at an airport, rather than requiring their own.

The BBC understands that British Airways is operating as normal using a back-up system, but that most other airlines operating from Heathrow have been affected.

Hundreds of flights have been delayed at the airports throughout Saturday, according to flight tracker FlightAware.

Lucy Spencer said she had been queuing to check in for a Malaysia Airlines flight for more than two hours, and that staff were manually tagging luggage and checking passengers in over the phone.

Another passenger, Monazza Aslam, said she had been sat on the tarmac for over an hour with no idea when we will fly, and had already missed her onward connection at Doha.

Heathrow said additional staff were on hand in check-in areas to help minimize disruption.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was aware of the incident and was getting regular updates and monitoring the situation.

While there are unfounded accusations circulating that this cyber-attack was carried out by Kremlin-sponsored hackers, all major hacks in the past few years have been carried out by criminal gangs more interested in extracting money from their victims.