Air travellers are facing another day of disruption at several European airports including Heathrow, following a cyber-attack that knocked out check-in and baggage systems. Hundreds of delays were reported over the weekend as the software used by multiple airlines failed, forcing several airports to board passengers manually.
Brussels Airport has advised passengers that it has no indication yet when systems will become operational again, leading to the cancellation of half of scheduled departing flights. RTX, which owns Collins Aerospace, acknowledged a cyber-related disruption to its systems at select airports and is working to resolve the issue swiftly.
The outage appears linked to the company's Muse software, intended to streamline check-in processes for different airlines at airports. As of now, the timeline for resolution remains unclear, though Heathrow has stated that it is continuing efforts to fully restore systems.
On Sunday, Heathrow apologized to passengers impacted by the delays, noting that while many flights are operational, the situation continues to pose challenges for travelers. They urged passengers to verify their flight statuses and arrive early at the airport.
Queues at Heathrow have extended for hours, and reports indicate that British Airways has been able to use a backup system to operate normally, whereas most other airlines have encountered significant interruptions.
Brussels Airport is also coping with high demand for manual check-in services, having deployed more staff to assist. Meanwhile, Dublin Airport expects to operate normally despite ongoing technical issues.
The National Cyber Security Centre is collaborating with Collins Aerospace and UK airports to assess the impact of the cyber-attack. Although the European Commission is monitoring the situation, it has reported no evidence of the attack being widespread.
Travelers are advised to stay updated through their airlines, as operational responses continue to adapt to this ongoing disruption.
