A Weekend of Chaos in Europe
A routine Saturday morning turned into a nightmare for thousands of passengers as a massive cyberattack hit key European airports. London Heathrow, Brussels, Berlin and Dublin all reported severe disruptions. Check-in counters froze, baggage belts stopped, and flight boards flashed “delayed” more often than “on time.”
For many travellers, the dream of a smooth weekend getaway quickly collapsed into endless queues and missed connections.
Heathrow: Long Queues, Frustrated Passengers
At Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, the impact was immediate. Automated check-in systems went offline, forcing passengers to line up for manual processing. Terminal 4 looked more like a railway station on strike day—people dragging bags, airline staff scribbling boarding passes by hand, tempers rising.
One passenger tweeted, “I spent three hours in line just to drop my bag. It felt like travelling back to the 90s.”
Brussels Cancels Half Its Flights
The scene wasn’t any calmer in Brussels. To contain the mess, the airport authority asked airlines to cancel 50% of Sunday’s departures. Imagine the ripple effect—thousands of travellers left stranded with hotel stays, visa schedules, and family plans all disrupted.
Brussels Airport admitted the system chaos was “unprecedented” and warned of long queues throughout the weekend.
Who’s Behind the Attack?
The technical meltdown was traced to MUSE (Multi-User System Environment)—a software widely used for airline check-ins. The system is run by Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of US defence giant RTX. While RTX confirmed a “cyber-related incident,” it stopped short of blaming anyone.
Experts are divided. Some point fingers at criminal hackers looking for ransom. Others suspect hostile state actors testing Europe’s digital backbone. For now, no group has claimed responsibility.
India Issues Advisory
The shockwaves weren’t limited to Europe. In Delhi, the Indira Gandhi International Airport issued an urgent advisory warning passengers flying to Europe of possible delays.
Air India also stepped in. The airline advised passengers travelling from London to complete web check-in before reaching the airport, stressing that ground staff were “working to minimise inconvenience.”
The Numbers Tell the Story
- 500+ flights disrupted across Europe in a single day
- 400+ delays reported at Heathrow alone
- 50% cancellations planned at Brussels for Sunday
- Incoming flights also hit: ~40% delays at Heathrow, 44% at Brussels, 35% at Berlin
Bigger Questions on Cybersecurity
This attack exposes a worrying truth: air travel is no longer just about planes and runways—it’s about computers and code. When a single software system can paralyse multiple airports, it shows how fragile global travel really is.
Aviation analyst Paul Charles warned, “We’ve built a sky network that’s incredibly efficient, but also incredibly vulnerable. Hackers just proved that.”
Governments in the UK, Belgium, and EU are already calling for investigations. There are whispers in Westminster that Russia could be behind the strike, though officials are cautious not to jump to conclusions.
What Passengers Should Do
If you’re travelling in the next few days, especially through London or Brussels:
- Check flight status frequently via airline apps.
- Do web check-in before arriving at the airport.
- Arrive early—three hours may not be enough right now.
- Keep essentials in cabin bags, in case checked luggage gets delayed.
- Stay flexible—flight reschedules and last-minute cancellations are likely.
Outlook
How long will this mess last? That depends on how fast Collins Aerospace can secure its systems. Even if services are restored, the backlog of flights and passengers may take days to clear.
For now, Europe’s aviation industry is facing a sobering wake-up call: the next big travel disruption may not come from weather, strikes, or fuel shortages—it might come from a keyboard.