Heathrow Airport Faces Ongoing Disruptions from Cyber Attack

London’s Heathrow Airport is grappling with significant disruptions for the second consecutive day due to a cyber attack that has severely impacted electronic check-in and boarding services. As Europe’s busiest airport, handling over 80 million passengers annually, the repercussions are being felt across several major European airports.

The incident began on March 15, 2024, when a software failure linked to Collins Aerospace affected airlines reliant on their systems. Passengers at impacted airports, including Berlin’s Brandenburg and Brussels Airport, faced long lines and delays as staff resorted to manual check-in processes using pen and paper. Reports indicate that hundreds of flights were delayed, with numerous cancellations and rescheduled departures.

Extent of the Disruption

The cyber attack targeted the Muse software, which streamlines operations by allowing multiple airlines to share check-in desks, baggage claims, and boarding gates. As a result, the operational capacity of affected airports has been significantly reduced. Brussels Airport has stated it has “no indication yet” of when their systems will return to normal functionality and has advised airlines to cancel approximately half of their departing flights.

According to a statement from RTX, the parent company of Collins Aerospace, they are aware of the “cyber-related disruption” affecting their systems in “select airports.” The company is working to resolve the issues as quickly as possible but has not disclosed specific details about the nature of the attack or the expected duration of the outage.

Response and Passenger Impact

Efforts to address the situation are ongoing, with Heathrow Airport informing travelers about continued work to recover from the outage. In an update on their official X page (formerly Twitter), the airport acknowledged the frustration faced by passengers and assured that, despite the disruptions, the majority of flights have managed to operate.

The airport recommended that travelers check their flight statuses before heading to the airport and advised arriving no earlier than three hours for long-haul flights and two hours for short-haul flights to avoid further complications.

This incident is part of a troubling trend of cyber attacks targeting various sectors globally, including healthcare, defense, and retail. Authorities are increasingly concerned about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to such breaches.

As the situation unfolds, both passengers and airport authorities remain vigilant, hoping for a swift resolution to restore normalcy at one of the world’s busiest travel hubs.