Cybersecurity Breach Disrupts Major Airports Across Europe: Delays Hit Passengers At Brussels, Heathrow, And Berlin Airports, Affecting Etihad Airways Operations

Published on September 21, 2025

A caller cyberattack targeting aggregate European airports has near galore travelers disappointment arsenic formation check-in systems were compromised, causing wide delays and cancellations. Key airports specified arsenic Brussels, Berlin, and London Heathrow saw important disruptions successful their automated systems, forcing unit to trust connected manual processes. Etihad Airways, among nan affected airlines, faced longer-than-usual check-in times astatine these airports, while Emirates reported minimal effect connected its operations. With accrued cyber threats plaguing nan aviation sector, it has go evident that world airports are highly susceptible to cyber disruptions.

Affected Airports and Airlines

The cyberattack chiefly impacted 3 awesome European airports:

• Brussels Airport (BRU) – The hardest hit, Brussels Airport knowledgeable terrible delays, pinch much than 10 flights cancelled and 17 others delayed for complete an hour. Staff was forced to manually cheque successful passengers and process baggage drops. Eurocontrol, nan European aerial navigation work provider, instructed airlines to cancel half of nan flights departing from Brussels betwixt early greeting and precocious evening connected Saturday, September 20.
• London Heathrow (LHR) – One of nan busiest airports successful nan world, Heathrow reported check-in strategy failures, causing delays astatine nan airport. Passengers were advised to get earlier than accustomed owed to longer processing times. Although nan disruption did not consequence successful wide formation cancellations, location were important delays arsenic nan method issues persisted.
• Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) – Berlin besides faced issues pinch check-in systems being compromised, starring to longer waiting times for travelers. Passengers departing from this airdrome were encouraged to hole for manual check-in, which further extended hold times.

Etihad Airways, a awesome hose operating astatine these airports, confirmed delays successful its services. However, nan hose worked to negociate nan business by offering assistance to affected passengers, including support during check-in and efforts to reconstruct systems promptly. In contrast, Emirates Airlines reported nary important operational disruptions, pinch their unit advising passengers to cheque successful online and to expect manual processing wherever necessary.

The Impact connected Passengers

Travelers astatine Brussels, Heathrow, and Berlin airports faced sizeable challenges. Check-in systems that usually grip passengers smoothly were affected by nan cyberattack, forcing galore to guidelines successful agelong queues arsenic airdrome unit manually processed check-ins and baggage drops. Flight delays and cancellations near passengers stranded, incapable to committee flights connected time, and galore were unsure of erstwhile they could expect to beryllium rebooked aliases if their formation would beryllium rescheduled. The accent of dealing pinch specified disruptions was compounded by nan constricted connection from affected airlines and airports, leaving travelers successful a authorities of uncertainty.

The effect was peculiarly important for business and leisure travelers heading to and from Europe. Many had urgent recreation commitments, and pinch systems down, they faced delays successful reaching meetings aliases enjoying their vacations. Pilgrims walking to belief sites aliases those attending time-sensitive events were particularly affected, arsenic rescheduling flights was not ever a feasible option.

What Should Travelers Do?

For travelers readying to alert done awesome European airports, peculiarly those successful Brussels, London, and Berlin, it’s advisable to:

1. Arrive Early: Due to manual check-in and baggage driblet processes, passengers should get astatine nan airdrome good successful beforehand of their scheduled departure to relationship for longer waiting times.
2. Check for Online Updates: Airlines and airports whitethorn update their passengers via online platforms. It’s important to enactment updated to understand nan position of flights and debar unnecessary waiting.
3. Prepare for Manual Check-ins: In cases wherever nan automated systems are still affected, beryllium prepared for delays successful nan check-in process. Plan to person further clip disposable for check-in.
4. Book Flexible Tickets: If possible, book elastic tickets that let easy rebooking successful lawsuit of cancellations, particularly if walking connected tight schedules aliases during highest seasons.

Increased Cybersecurity Risks successful Aviation

This cyberattack is conscionable 1 illustration of really cybercriminals are progressively targeting nan aviation sector. According to caller reports, cyberattacks connected airports and airlines person surged by 600% complete nan past year. These attacks often discuss captious systems, specified arsenic check-in and baggage handling, and tin lead to formation delays, cancellations, and information concerns.

The emergence successful cyber threats underscores nan value of robust cybersecurity measures wrong nan aviation sector. While airports person manual backup systems successful place, these are not ever capable to mitigate nan disruption caused by wide cyberattacks. As aerial recreation becomes much reliant connected interconnected systems, airports and airlines must bolster their defenses against these increasing risks.

Rebuilding Trust successful nan Travel Industry

The aviation industry, having been battered by challenges specified arsenic nan COVID-19 pandemic and now these cyberattacks, must activity to reconstruct spot among travelers. Airlines and airports request to put successful much secure, reliable systems to forestall akin disruptions successful nan future. Providing transparent connection during crises and offering contiguous support to affected passengers will besides thief rebuild assurance successful aerial travel.

The effect of these disruptions connected section tourism tin beryllium profound. In nan lawsuit of Brussels, nan delays affected tourism to nan region, particularly for travelers heading to Belgium for taste events aliases leisure trips. For travelers who had planned to sojourn iconic attractions successful London aliases Berlin, these delays led to cancellations of their sightseeing plans. In specified cases, it’s important for nan tourism assemblage to activity successful tandem pinch airlines and airports to minimize nan effects connected recreation and guarantee that visitors still person entree to a seamless experience.

Moving Forward: A Resilient Tourism Sector

While nan aviation assemblage grapples pinch nan aftermath of nan cyberattack, location is room for optimism. With accrued collaboration betwixt airports, airlines, and exertion providers, nan assemblage tin build resilience against early cyber disruptions. By focusing connected stronger cybersecurity measures, clearer communication, and amended contingency plans, nan recreation manufacture tin look stronger from these challenges.

A cardinal takeaway from this disruption is nan necessity for some travelers and nan aviation manufacture to hole for unforeseen circumstances. Whether dealing pinch cybersecurity threats aliases different logistical challenges, it’s basal to guarantee that passengers are well-informed and equipped to grip unexpected disruptions.