Air travel

Cyberattack Disrupts Heathrow and European Airports

Published SEP 20 2025

Story

Above: London Heathrow Airport, after flights were delayed and cancelled on Sept. 20, 2025. Image credit: Maja Smiejkowska/PA Images/Getty Images

The Facts

A cyberattack on Collins Aerospace disrupted operations at several major European airports on Saturday, including London's Heathrow, Brussels Airport and Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
Daily Mail
Al Jazeera
RTX Corporation, Collins Aerospace's parent company, confirmed the cyber-related disruption affected its MUSE software at select airports, limiting electronic customer check-in and baggage drop operations.
The Telegraph
The Times (UK)
Sky News
Brussels Airport reported 14 flight cancellations and an average delay of one hour for departing flights. Passengers experienced lengthy queues as staff conducted manual check-in procedures.
Sky News
The Telegraph
Heathrow Airport advised passengers to check their flight status before traveling and to arrive at least three hours before long-haul flights or two hours before domestic flights, due to the disruption.
Guardian
Reuters
The attack occurred Friday night and rendered automated check-in and boarding systems inoperable, requiring airports to implement manual procedures that significantly slowed passenger processing.
GB News
Reuters
EasyJet and Delta Air Lines reported minimal impact on their operations. EasyJet operated normally, while Delta implemented workarounds to minimize disruption at affected airports.
Al Jazeera
Reuters
The Times (UK)

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

This cyberattack highlights critical vulnerabilities in aviation infrastructure that could have been prevented with stronger security measures. The aviation industry's over-reliance on centralized systems from single providers like Collins Aerospace creates catastrophic single points of failure that hostile actors can exploit to bring entire sectors to a standstill.

Daily Mail

GB News

Narrative B

Thanks to established backup procedures, airlines and airports quickly implemented manual check-in processes and workarounds, ensuring passenger safety remained uncompromised. The disruption highlights the aviation industry's resilience and ability to maintain essential air travel services despite cyber threats.

Reuters

ABC7 Chicago