Cyber-Attack on Collins Aerospace disrupts check-in systems at Heathrow, Brussels and Berlin airports

The incident, first reported late Friday, targeted the provider’s electronic check-in and baggage-drop systems, forcing airlines to switch to manual check-in operations and prompting Eurocontrol to halve flight schedules between 04:00 and 12:00 GMT.

London’s Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest, confirmed on Saturday that a “technical issue” with Collins Aerospace software was causing delays for departing passengers. By 10:00 BST, the flight-tracking service FlightAware recorded nearly 100 delayed departures at Heathrow. Brussels Airport, where around 70 flights were delayed, described the attack as rendering automated systems inoperable, resulting in both delays and cancellations. Berlin’s Tegel and Brandenburg airports also reported roughly 15 delayed departures each.

In an official statement, Collins Aerospace’s parent company acknowledged a “cyber-related disruption” affecting select aerodromes, though it did not specify which. The company assured travelers that the impact was limited to check-in and baggage-drop services, and emphasized that manual processing would help mitigate delays. “Teams are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” the firm added.

Eurocontrol, Europe’s combined aviation safety organisation, urged airlines to reduce schedules by 50% to and from Brussels between 04:00 and 12:00 GMT to alleviate congestion. Travelers are advised to check their flight status with their airline before heading to the airport and to arrive no earlier than three hours before long-haul departures or two hours for domestic flights to minimise inconvenience.

Heathrow confirmed that additional staff have been deployed to assist passengers in check-in areas. Passengers are encouraged to monitor airline updates and allow extra time for manual processing to avoid missing flights amid this unfolding aviation cyber-security incident.