European Airports Face Delays Following Cyberattack on Collins Aerospace

Several airports across Europe are facing operational disruptions following a ransomware attack on U.S.-based aviation technology provider Collins Aerospace, which has impacted check-in systems in cities such as London, Brussels, Berlin, and locations throughout Ireland.

In a recent data security incident notice, Brussels Airport reported that a cyberattack on Collins Aerospace, the external provider of its check-in and boarding systems, caused disruptions at several European airports, including Brussels.

Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of defense giant RTX, provides the vMUSE self-service software used for passenger check-in, baggage tagging, and boarding. Hackers targeted the vMUSE system, leading to hundreds of flight delays and cancellations over the weekend. The company stated that it is working with four affected airports and airline partners, and is in the final stages of completing updates to restore full functionality.

According to The Guardian, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) confirmed that Collins Aerospace was the victim of a ransomware attack. In such attacks, threat actors infiltrate a company’s internal network, steal confidential data, and encrypt critical systems—offering a decryption key only if ransom demands are met.

In a statement shared with the media, a Heathrow spokesperson said, “vast majority of flights at Heathrow are operating as normal, although check-in and boarding for some flights may take slightly longer than usual.

“This system is not owned or operated by Heathrow, so while we cannot resolve the IT issue directly, we are supporting airlines and have additional colleagues in the terminals to assist passengers.”

Airports in Dublin and Berlin have also faced delays due to IT issues. With kiosks and bag-drop machines offline, airline staff have had to switch to manual processing. A spokesperson for Dublin Airport stated that no cancellations were expected on Monday, though they could not be ruled out. On Sunday, Aer Lingus reported being "significantly impacted" by the disruption.