Rabat – Several major European airports, including Brussels, London Heathrow, and Berlin Brandenburg, experienced significant disruptions on Saturday due to a cyberattack affecting passenger check-in software.
The attack, which targeted MUSE, a system provided by Collins Aerospace, forced airports to switch to manual check-in and baggage handling, causing delays and cancellations.
Brussels Airport confirmed the cyberattack occurred Friday evening, noting that at least 10 flights were canceled and 17 others delayed by more than an hour. “The situation is not yet resolved,” the airport said, adding that its own internal systems appeared unaffected. Passengers were advised to check their flight status with airlines and arrive early to allow time for manual processing.
Heathrow Airport, the main international hub in London, also reported disruptions that could affect departures, while Berlin Airport indicated it was impacted by “technical problems with a supplier.” Meanwhile, airports managed by the ADP group in Paris, including Charles de Gaulle and Orly, said they were not affected.
Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of the American aerospace and defense company RTX (formerly Raytheon), said it was working to resolve the incident “as quickly as possible.” The company specializes in data management for the aviation sector.
Cyberattacks and digital system failures have increasingly disrupted air travel in recent years as the sector relies heavily on computerized systems. A recent report by Thales highlighted 27 ransomware attacks on the aviation industry between January 2024 and April 2025, a 600% increase over the previous year, targeting airlines, airports, navigation systems, and contractors.
Past incidents include a Qantas hack in July 2025 that affected six million customer records and a December 2024 attack on Japan Airlines.
Eurocontrol, the European air traffic monitoring agency, advised airlines to cancel about half of their flights to and from the affected airports between 04:00 GMT Saturday and 02:00 GMT Sunday due to the cyberattack.
