Cyber-Attack Disrupts London's Heathrow Airport and Other European Airports for Second Day

Air travelers faced significant disruptions at several European airports, including London's Heathrow, Berlin's Brandenburg, and Brussels, due to a cyber-attack that targeted Collins Aerospace's check-in and boarding systems. The disruption affected hundreds of flights, causing long lines and queues, and numerous flight cancellations and postponements. The attack, which is the latest in a string of hacks targeting various sectors, has left Brussels Airport with "no indication yet" of when its system would be functional again, and has asked airlines to cancel half of their departing flights.

Key Takeaways:

• The cyber-attack targeted Collins Aerospace's check-in and boarding systems, which are used by several airlines at Heathrow Airport, Berlin's Brandenburg Airport, and Brussels Airport.
• The disruption has caused hundreds of flight delays, cancellations, and postponements, with long lines and queues reported at affected airports.
• Brussels Airport has "no indication yet" of when its system will be functional again and has asked airlines to cancel half of their departing flights.
• RTX, the owner of Collins Aerospace, has acknowledged the cyber-related disruption and hopes to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
• The attacker's system, known as "Muse software," allows different airlines to share check-in desks, baggage claim, and boarding gates at an airport, rather than requiring their own.
• Heathrow Airport is working together with airlines to resolve the issue and is encouraging passengers to check the status of their flight before traveling to the airport.
• The attack is part of a larger string of hacks targeting various sectors, including healthcare, defense, retail, and autos.

Statistics:

• 80 million passengers: The number of passengers that Heathrow Airport handles each year.
• Hundreds: The number of flights delayed, cancelled, or postponed due to the cyber-attack at Heathrow, Berlin, and Brussels airports.
• 50%: The percentage of departing flights from Brussels Airport that have been cancelled.
• Second day: The second consecutive day that Heathrow Airport has been affected by the cyber-attack.

Sources:

• Reuters: Cyberattack causes flight delays, cancellations at Brussels airport
• BBC: RTX, owner of Collins Aerospace, confirms cyber-related disruption
• Digital Journal: London's Heathrow airport is affected by cyber-attack for the second day