Cyberattack Chaos: European Airports Grapple with Prolonged Check-In Disruptions

 

Check-in counters at a terminal at Berlin's Brandenburg airport, in Schönefeld, Germany, Saturday Sept. 20, 2025, after a cyberattack targeting check-in and boarding systems disrupted air traffic at several major European airports.

A major cyberattack targeting airline check-in systems has continued to disrupt travel across Europe for a second consecutive day, leaving passengers stranded and airlines scrambling to adapt.

The attack, which began late Friday, affected airports in Brussels, London, and Berlin, forcing staff to revert to manual processes such as handwritten boarding passes and backup laptops. The disruption stems from a “cyber-related incident” impacting software provided by Collins Aerospace, a U.S.-based company that supports check-in, baggage tagging, and boarding systems.

While operations at London’s Heathrow and Berlin’s Brandenburg airports showed signs of improvement by Sunday, Brussels Airport remained heavily impacted, reporting more than 70 flight cancellations in a single day—double the number from Saturday. Airport officials warned that the timeline for full recovery remains uncertain, urging passengers to verify flight details before traveling.

Authorities have not yet identified the perpetrators, with experts suggesting the attack could be linked to hackers, criminal groups, or even state-backed actors.

For now, European travelers face longer waits, unexpected cancellations, and a reminder of the growing vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyber threats.