Cyberattack disrupts Heathrow, Berlin and Brussels airports

Flight operations at three of Europe’s busiest airports were thrown into disarray over the weekend after a cyberattack struck Collins Aerospace’s MUSE software, a key system used for passenger check-in and boarding.

The attack, which began on Saturday, September 20, crippled digital services at London Heathrow, Berlin Brandenburg, and Brussels Airport, forcing airlines to revert to manual check-in and baggage handling.

Passengers faced hours-long queues, handwritten luggage tags, and widespread delays.

According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, 35 departures and 25 arrivals were cancelled on Saturday alone, with Brussels suffering the worst impact. The disruption continued into Sunday, with 38 departures and 33 arrivals cancelled across the three hubs.

Brussels Airport asked airlines to cut half their flights through Monday, warning of up to 140 additional cancellations.

Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation, said it had isolated affected systems to contain the breach, though no timeline for full restoration was given.

National cyber security agencies in the UK, Germany, and Belgium are investigating, but the nature of the attack—whether ransomware, denial-of-service, or state-backed—has not been confirmed.

While air traffic control and flight safety were not compromised, the incident underscored growing vulnerabilities in aviation technology.

Industry reports show cyberattacks on the sector surged by 600% between 2024 and 2025.

The European Commission described the disruption as “serious but not systemic,” but experts warn the incident highlights risks of overreliance on centralized digital platforms.

Airports have advised passengers to arrive at least three hours early and check airline apps for updates.

With airlines scrambling to rebook affected travelers, officials caution that knock-on delays could extend into the coming week.