Cyberattack Disrupts Major European Airports, Leading to Hundreds of Flight Delays and Sudden Cancellations

On Saturday, September 20, a major cyberattack on a third-party service provider disrupted operations at many European airports. The attack disrupted the automated check-in and boarding systems that airlines and airports rely on, forcing thousands of passengers to deal with lengthy delays and unexpected cancellations.

The issue first became apparent at airports in Berlin, Brussels, Dublin, Cork, and London Heathrow. As check-in systems went down, employees were forced to rely on manual methods, which slowed things down. Passengers at Heathrow's Terminal 4 were seen queuing at the exits, with reactions growing as disgruntled travelers argued.

The issue was traced back to Collins Aerospace, a company owned by RTX which provides check-in and boarding systems to numerous airlines worldwide. RTX stated that a "cyber-related disruption" had disrupted its MUSE (Multi-User System Environment) system at specific airports, primarily affecting automated check-in and baggage drop services, with manual operations being employed to mitigate delays.The corporation has not specified who is responsible for the attack, but experts believe it might be the work of hackers, criminal organizations, or even state-backed actors, and investigations are still underway.

The scale of the disruption

The attack prompted airports to take extreme measures.To avoid even lengthier wait times and chaotic last-minute cancellations, Brussels Airport has urged airlines to cancel half of all departing flights on Sunday. By Saturday evening, data from aviation trackers revealed that over 500 planes had been delayed across Europe.

Heathrow alone experienced around 450 delays and 18 cancellations, while Brussels saw over 250 delays and 21 cancellations. Berlin-Brandenburg experienced almost 200 delays.Cirium, an aviation data provider, stated that around 30 flights had been cancelled across the three airports by the early afternoon. Flights arriving into these European hubs made up a significant portion of the disruption, around 40 percent of delays at Heathrow, 44 percent at Brussels, and 35 percent at Berlin. 

Impact on India

The ripple effects were also felt in India. Delhi Airport issued an advisory cautioning that flights to and from Europe could be disrupted due to the cyberattack. Air India also issued a statement on social media, requesting passengers flying from London to complete their web check-in before arriving at the airport in order to prevent delays.The airline acknowledged that its ground team in London were attempting to reduce inconvenience.

A reminder of increasing cyber risks

The event prompted severe worries in the aviation sector, with many surprised that such a large and well-known technology company could be subjected to such a massive cyberattack. Authorities are keeping a close watch on the situation.This cyberattack is a reminder of how reliant global travel has become on digital systems. Even a momentary malfunction can cause thousands of people to be uncertain. While investigations continue, the event emphasizes the critical need for improved cybersecurity in aviation, one of the world's most networked industry.

Information referenced in this article is from The Mint