Cyber attack on European airports: chaos at Heathrow, Berlin and Brussels
On September 20, a cyberattack sent check-in and boarding systems at several European airports into disarray. Among [...]
The September 20 a cyberattack knocked out the systems of check-in and boarding at several European airports. Among the most affected are. London Heathrow, Brussels e Berlin Brandenburg, where automated procedures were suspended and replaced with the manual method. The result: long lines, slowed departures, and hundreds of canceled or delayed flights.
Collins Aerospace's Muse software in the crosshairs
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The attack affected the computer systems of Collins Aerospace, an RTX group company. To be affected was Muses, the software that allows multiple airlines to share the same check-in desks and gates. A single central provider means that if the system crashes, the domino effect quickly spreads to multiple European airports.
Inconvenience to passengers
A Brussels passengers were hand-checked, with inevitable slowdowns. The airport spoke of a "major impact on the flight schedule," with numerous cancellations and delays. Also at Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, more than 100 late departures as early as Saturday morning, with at least 15 flights affected in Berlin. Airport authorities urged travelers not to show up too early: Three hours for long-haul flights, two hours for domestic.
Eurocontrol: flights halved in Brussels
The European Aviation Safety Network has asked companies to Reduce by 50% flights to and from Brussels between 04:00 on Saturday, September 20, and 02:00 on Sunday, September 21, to manage the emergency. The impact also affects Heathrow and Berlin airports, and additional containment measures may be needed.
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A wake-up call for aviation
Experts warn: any disruption is potentially serious, especially at Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport. Everything is interconnected: a problem in Brussels or Berlin results in missed connections, misplaced pilots and passengers, and inconvenience multiplies.
This episode shows how vulnerable civil aviation is: without serious investment in cybersecurity and robust contingency plans, it only takes one targeted attack to stop thousands of passengers and bring entire international hubs to a halt.
