A coordinated cyber-attack on Friday targeted automatic check-in and boarding software at a number of the company’s major hubs. Heathrow Airport is now in the process of taking steps to fix the problem. They regret any inconvenience caused by the impact of these delays on their customers’ travel plans.
On Monday, Heathrow urged airlines to preemptively cancel almost 140 of their 276 planned outbound flights. The airport’s spokesperson noted that despite the challenges posed by the attack, “the vast majority of flights have continued to operate.” The restoration of full functionality to the systems affected by the cyber incident is a primary focus of the county’s efforts.
Brussels Airport in neighboring Belgium is experiencing the indirect impacts of the attack. The airport was a central airport in the cancellation crisis, announcing that almost half of its departures were canceled on Monday amid the fallout. A spokesperson for Brussels Airport stated, “the service provider is actively working on the issue,” although it remains “unclear” when operations will return to normal.
Berlin Airport recently announced that some airlines are continuing to board passengers by hand as they adjust to the shakeup. In a statement, an airport spokesperson confirmed that the electronic outage has not yet been resolved. They noted there is no definitive timeline for resolution. Still, they said, disruption had recovered to more than half normal levels by Sunday.
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre is actively collaborating with Collins Aerospace, affected airports, the Department for Transport, and law enforcement agencies to address the situation. Collins Aerospace has further assured us that it is indeed finalizing essential software upgrades. These updates will help them respond to the attack’s effects in a meaningful way.
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has been closely monitoring the situation, stating she is “getting regular updates and monitoring the situation” as developments unfold. The recent cyber-attack is indicative of a larger and more alarming trend within the aviation sector. According to recent findings from French aerospace company Thales, cyber incidents have increased by 600% in the past year alone.
Continued disruptions to air travel across Europe are all but assured. Airports, for their part, are doing everything possible to bring critical systems back online and regain normal functionality. While passengers continue to deal with these extraordinary problems, officials underscore that they remain focused on providing a safe, secure and efficient air transportation system.