Flight disruption is set to continue at London Heathrow for a second day after a cyber attack targeting a service provider for check-in and boarding systems hit European airports this weekend.
Hundreds of flights were delayed and cancelled on Saturday after the attack rendered automated systems inoperable, allowing only manual check-in and boarding procedures.
“Work continues to resolve and recover from Friday's outage of a Collins Aerospace airline system that impacted check-in,” Heathrow Airport wrote in a late night post on X.
Brussels Airport said “difficult airport operations and flight cancellations” are expected to continue on Sunday, while Berlin Brandenburg airport also warns that delays will likely continue.
More than 500 flights were disrupted on Saturday, according to FlightRadar.
Heathrow said that Collins Aerospace, which provides check-in and boarding systems for multiple airlines globally, is “experiencing a technical issue which may cause delays for departing passengers”.
The airport advised travellers to check their flight status with the airline and said it had deployed extra staff into check-in areas to “help minimise disruption”.
Collins Aerospace said it is working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
Key Points
- Brussels Airport asks airlines to cancel half of Monday's flights
- Work to recover from cyber attack ongoing in Heathrow, airport says
- Brussels Airport says cyber attack will have 'large impact' on flight schedule
- What rights do you have to compensation for cancelled flights?
- Airport cyberattack causes cancellations and delays across Europe
What caused cyber attack that crippled major airports including Heathrow – and could it be a test for something bigger?
21:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
What caused the cyber attack that crippled major airports including Heathrow?
RECAP: Expert warns of 'deeply concerning' cyber attack
20:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneA leading aviation figure has called Saturday’s cyber attack “deeply concerning”.
Paul Charles, chief executive of The PC Agency and former communications director of Virgin Atlantic, told The Independent’s Simon Calder: “Many in the industry are surprised that a company of the stature and scale of Collins Aerospace has been victim of such a cyber attack. It is one of the most experienced systems suppliers in the world to airports and airlines, and governments including the UK.”
The attack affected the “Multi-User System Environment” passenger processing system, know as MUSE.
Mr Charles said: “If Collins can be hacked so easily then you have to question all suppliers. I hope they’re able to get the MUSE software affected back online quickly, otherwise flights will be affected for many days to come.”
Brussels Airport cancels half of departing flights for second day running
19:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneBrussels Airport has cancelled half of its scheduled departing flights on Monday for the second day running.
The Belgian airport said it would call off 50 per cent of its flights on Sunday, although it is not clear how many exactly were axed.
Ahead of Monday, it said the same action would need to be taken to start the new week.
No evidence of 'widespread or severe attack', EU say
18:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThere is no evidence of a "widespread or severe attack,” the European Commission said in a statement about the cyber attack affecting several European airports.
It added that the origin of the incident was still under investigation.
Brussels Airport cancels 50 outbound flights on Sunday
18:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneBrussels Airport cancelled 50 outbound flights on Sunday, the AP news agency has reported.
The Belgian airport has asked airlines to cancel nearly 140 outbound flights for Monday - which represents half of the 276 flights that were scheduled to depart from Brussels that day, according to AP.
Brussels Airport said it nonetheless was able to maintain 85 per cent of scheduled departures over the weekend thanks to the deployment of extra staff by airport partners "and the fact that self bag drop and online check-in are still operational", AP said.
'A single cyber attack can escalate into widespread disruptions'
17:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneCyber security expert Vykintas Maknickas, who is CEO of NordVPN’s travel eSIM app Saily, told The Independent that Friday’s attack highlights “increasing vulnerabilities” in the aviation sector.
“Many airports, including those affected in this incident, rely on the same third-party systems for passenger handling. While this approach boosts operational efficiency, it significantly reduces resilience,” he explained.
“A single cyberattack on one vendor can quickly escalate into widespread disruptions across multiple airports, as seen with the delays and cancellations at major European hubs like Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin.”
How long could disruption go on for?
17:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAirlines and airports will have hoped that Friday’s cyber attack on Collins Aerospace would have been resolved by now.
But as we approach the start of a new week, Brussels Airport has said the systems provider has yet to deliver a secure updated version of the software necessary to restore full functionality - and until that happens, disruption looks unlikely to stop.
Speaking to The Independent, leading aviation figure Paul Charles said if systems were not back online quickly, passengers could face delays and cancellations “for many days to come”.
Dozens of flights cancelled on Sunday
16:33 , Nicole Wootton-CaneSimon Calder says dozens of flights were cancelled on Sunday...
More than 50 flights have been cancelled at Brussels airport on Sunday following Friday night’s cyber attack on check-in and baggage systems.
Disruption also continues at London Heathrow and Berlin.
Fifty-four arrivals and departures at Brussels are grounded. The Belgian national carrier has cancelled 18 flights, including to and from Heathrow.
Next worst affected is easyJet, which has grounded evening departures and arrivals serving Milan, Rome and Nice. KLM, Royal Air Maroc and Vueling have also cancelled multiple flights.
At Heathrow, departures of delayed flights on Saturday night continued well beyond midnight. Overnight services on Qatar Airways to Doha, Etihad to Abu Dhabi and Malaysian Airlines to Kuala Lumpur took off two hours late or more, jeopardising onward connections.
Sunday cancellations at Heathrow total 10 so far, of which four are British Airways to and from Berlin and two on BA serving Brussels. Lufthansa has also grounded a round trip from Frankfurt. Aer Lingus has dropped a return flight from Dublin, when an evacuation of Terminal 2 due to a security scare caused chaos on Saturday afternoon.
Six flights at Berlin are cancelled, four of them on British Airways.
RECAP: Over 600 flights from Heathrow disrupted on Saturday
16:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneMore than 600 flights from Heathrow were disrupted by the cyber attack on Saturday.
FlightRadar recorded 629 disrupted flights after a cyber attack on Collins Aerospace led to delays across Europe.
The total has climbed so far on Sunday, with the live air traffic site reporting 233 delayed flights - although it is not clear how many of these are related to the cyber attack.
Disruption ongoing at Dublin airport
15:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneDisruption is continuing at Dublin Airport following an alleged cyber attack that has impacted a number of airports across Europe.
Some 13 flights, nine inbound and four outbound, had been cancelled at the airport by noon on Sunday.
The airport said some airlines in Terminal 2 were using manual workarounds to issue bag tags and boarding passes, and as a result, check-in and bag drop may take longer than usual.
They have advised that passengers should plan to arrive at the airport as normal today, however, to allow more time if you need to check in or drop bags at the airport.
"Passengers are advised to contact their airline directly for the latest updates on their flight," they added.
Separately Terminal 2 was evacuated for a time on Saturday following a concern about a piece of baggage.
Gardai and the Defence Forces' explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team attended the terminal, and the piece of luggage was later described as contained and deemed safe for removal.
Brussels Airport asks airlines to cancel half of Monday's flights
14:57 , Nicole Wootton-CaneBrussels Airport has asked airlines to cancel half of Monday's scheduled departing flights as issues with its check-in system, stemming from a cyberattack on Friday, remain unresolved, the operator said on Sunday.
A spokesperson for the airport said Collins Aerospace, the system's provider, has yet to deliver a secure updated version of the software necessary to restore full functionality.
Government should 'immediately' make statement on whether Kremlin is behind cyber attack, Lib Dems say
14:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Government needs to immediately make a statement on whether Russian involvement is suspected in an alleged cyber attack on an airport check-in provider, the Liberal Democrats have said.
Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesperson Calum Miller said: "After the flagrant violation of Estonian airspace, the Government needs to urgently establish if Vladimir Putin is now attacking our cyber systems.
"If the Kremlin is behind this attack, causing chaos at our busiest airport, we need to be firm in our response."
WATCH: Heathrow warns of delays after cyber attack cancels flights at European airports
14:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneSecurity chiefs 'working with' Collins Aerospace
13:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUK security chiefs are “working with” Collins Aerospace and affected airports following today’s cyber attack.
A National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) spokesperson said: "We are working with Collins Aerospace and affected UK airports, alongside Department for Transport and law enforcement colleagues, to fully understand the impact of an incident.
“All organisations are urged to make use of the NCSC’s free guidance, services and tools to help reduce the chances of a cyber attack and bolster their resilience in the face of online threats.”
Latest statement from Heathrow airport
13:07 , Nicole Wootton-CaneWe heard earlier on Sunday morning from Heathrow airport, who are still dealing with the fallout of the cyber attack.
A spokesperson said: “Work continues to resolve and recover from Friday's outage of a Collins Aerospace airline system that impacted check-in.
“While the underlying problem was outside our influence, we have continued to support our airline partners and passengers to get away as timely as possible over the weekend, whilst providing additional colleagues to help onsite.
“We apologise to those who have faced delays, but by working together with airlines the vast majority of flights have continued to operate.
“We encourage passengers to check the status of their flight before travelling to Heathrow and to arrive no earlier than three hours for long-haul flights and two hours for short-haul.”
What caused cyber attack that crippled major airports including Heathrow – and could it be a test for something bigger?
12:48 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAs airlines scramble to get a handle on the disruption caused by Friday’s cyber attack, attention is turning to the the origin of the hack and how such incidents can be prevented in future.
You can read more below...
What caused the cyber attack that crippled major airports including Heathrow?
Small amount of disruption at Heathrow on Sunday afternoon
12:23 , Nicole Wootton-CanePassengers at Heathrow are still experiencing a small amount of disruption on Sunday afternoon.
Around seven departing flights have been cancelled and 18 more delayed, although it is not clear which of these were caused by the technical issue, reports the PA news agency.
'A single cyberattack can quickly escalate into widespread disruptions', experts say
12:05 , Nicole Wootton-CaneExperts have warned that a single cyber attack in an industry like aviation can have a rapid knock-on effect for airlines and passengers.
Speaking to The Independent, cybersecurity expert Vykintas Maknickas said: “This attack is a prime example of the supply-chain risks facing the aviation industry.
“Many airports, including those affected in this incident, rely on the same third-party systems for passenger handling.
“While this approach boosts operational efficiency, it significantly reduces resilience.
“A single cyberattack on one vendor can quickly escalate into widespread disruptions across multiple airports, as seen with the delays and cancellations at major European hubs like Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin.”
Collins Aerospace ‘cyber attack’ latest in series of incidents at UK airports
11:48 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe incident is the latest in a series that have affected UK airports since the start of the year.
Thousands of passengers trying to fly both in and out of the country faced major disruption on Wednesday 30 July after air traffic control (ATC) provider Nats was hit by a technical glitch.
More than 150 flights – 84 departures and 71 arrivals – were cancelled in airports across the UK, with the highest number of cancellations at London’s Heathrow Airport.
A number of inbound flights were also diverted to European cities as a result of the glitch, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Passengers at Stansted Airport also faced long delays and disruption on Sunday 11 May after an IT glitch caused some of the airport’s systems to fail.
The malfunction affected check-in, baggage, and security, with engineers investigating the source of the IT problem saying it may have been related to the systems’ internet access.
On Friday 21 March, more than 270,000 air passenger journeys were disrupted by Heathrow airport’s closure following a fire at a nearby electrical substation.
Some 234,000 passengers booked to fly to or from Heathrow that day had their flight cancelled, diverted or delayed when the airport suffered a power outage because of a blaze at the substation in Hayes, aviation industry statistics seen by the PA news agency have showed.
No flights were permitted at the airport on that day until around 6pm.
A further 36,500 people hoping to travel the following day were affected when 74 flights, 6.1% of the total scheduled, were cancelled.
Airports’ cyber attack: What rights do you have to compensation for cancelled flights?
11:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneFriday’s cyber attack is continuing to affect passengers across Europe today.
The Independent’s Simon Calder has all you need to know if you have been affected.
Airports’ cyber attack: What rights do you have over cancelled flights?
What has the UK government said about the attack?
11:12 , Nicole Wootton-CaneTransport secretary Heidi Alexander spoke on Saturday about the cyber attack impacting Heathrow as well as other European airports.
“I’m aware of an incident affecting airline check-in and boarding, impacting flights at Heathrow and other European airports,” she said.
“I’m getting regular updates and monitoring the situation.
“If you’re flying at Heathrow today, check with your airline before travelling.”
Average delays faced by passengers on Sunday
10:52 , Nicole Wootton-CaneMany passengers are still facing delays on Sunday as airlines scramble to deal with the impact of the attack.
At Brussels, data from FlightRadar24 shows travellers have been delayed on average 53 minutes on Sunday.
At Berlin, the average delay is around 30 minutes.
And at Heathrow, passengers are facing delays of around 27 minutes.
It is not clear how many of these delays are directly related to the cyber attack.
'Vast majority' of flights continued to operate out of Heathrow
10:36 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe “vast majority” of flights continued to operate out of Heathrow on Saturday despite lengthy delays due to the cyber attack, a spokesperson said.
In a statement, they added: “Work continues to resolve and recover from Friday's outage of a Collins Aerospace airline system that impacted check-in. We apologise to those who have faced delays, but by working together with airlines, the vast majority of flights have continued to operate.
“We encourage passengers to check the status of their flight before travelling to Heathrow and to arrive no earlier than three hours for long-haul flights and two hours for short-haul.”
Aviation safety and air traffic control 'remain unaffected'
10:28 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe impact of the cyber attack on Collins Aerospace is limited to check-in and boarding systems and does not compromise safety in the air, according to the European Commission.
It said it is monitoring the situation but added there were no signs the cyber attack was "widespread or severe".
A spokesperson for the European Commission said on Saturday evening: "The commission is closely monitoring the cyber attack that has disrupted airline check-in and boarding systems for several airlines across multiple airports globally.
"While passengers are facing disruption, aviation safety and air traffic control remain unaffected.
"The commission is working closely with EUROCONTROL, ENISA, airports and airlines to restore operations and to support passengers.
"Current signs do not indicate a widespread or severe attack."
Brussels airport advise passengers to only come to airport if flight is confirmed
10:11 , Nicole Wootton-CaneBrussels airport is among the worst-hit by Friday’s cyber attack on check-in systems.
In a statement posted on their website, the airport said the attack was having a “large impact” on the flight schedule, causing delays and cancellations.
It said: “We advise passengers to
- check their flight status with their airline before coming to the airport
- only come to the airport if their flight is confirmed
- check in online in advance.
“Passengers with a confirmed flight should
- come to the airport in time (2 hours in advance for a flight withing the Schengen area and 3 hours for a flight outside the Schengen area)
- and follow the information channels of the airport for updates.”
Cyber attack shows 'vulnerabilities' in aviation sector, expert says
09:58 , Nicole Wootton-CaneCybersecurity expert Vykintas Maknickas, who is CEO of NordVPN’s travel eSIM app Saily, said Friday’s cyber attack is a “prime example” of risks facing the industry because of their reliance on digital systems.
“This recent cyberattack highlights the increasing vulnerabilities within the aviation sector as airports and airlines continue to rely on interconnected systems for operations,” he said.
“As we've seen with the disruptions at major airports, the impact of a cyberattack on critical infrastructure can be profound, affecting everything from check-ins to baggage handling.”
He added the attack is a “prime example of the supply-chain risks facing the aviation industry”.
“Many airports, including those affected in this incident, rely on the same third-party systems for passenger handling. While this approach boosts operational efficiency, it significantly reduces resilience,” he explained. “A single cyberattack on one vendor can quickly escalate into widespread disruptions across multiple airports, as seen with the delays and cancellations at major European hubs like Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin.”
Dozens more flights cancelled as airport disruption continues
09:44 , Nicole Wootton-CaneSimon Calder has been looking at the situation on Sunday...
More than 50 flights have been cancelled at Brussels airport on Sunday following Friday night’s cyber attack on check-in and baggage systems.
Disruption also continues at London Heathrow and Berlin.
Fifty-four arrivals and departures at Brussels are grounded. The Belgian national carrier has cancelled 18 flights, including to and from Heathrow.
Next worst affected is easyJet, which has grounded evening departures and arrivals serving Milan, Rome and Nice. KLM, Royal Air Maroc and Vueling have also cancelled multiple flights.
At Heathrow, departures of delayed flights on Saturday night continued well beyond midnight. Overnight services on Qatar Airways to Doha, Etihad to Abu Dhabi and Malaysian Airlines to Kuala Lumpur took off two hours late or more, jeopardising onward connections.
Sunday cancellations at Heathrow total 10 so far, of which four are British Airways to and from Berlin and two on BA serving Brussels. Lufthansa has also grounded a round trip from Frankfurt. Aer Lingus has dropped a return flight from Dublin, when an evacuation of Terminal 2 due to a security scare caused chaos on Saturday afternoon.
Six flights at Berlin are cancelled, four of them on British Airways.
Cause of cyber attack still remains unclear
09:27 , Nicole Wootton-CaneIt is still unclear what exactly was behind Friday’s cyber attack on Collins Aerospace that has left several major European airports in chaos.
The European Commission said it is “closely monitoring” the situation, but added current signs “do not indicate a widespread or severe attack”.
On Saturday, the Lib Dems said the government should “immediately” make a statement on whether Russian involvement is suspected. But so far, transport secretary Heidi Alexander has simply said she is “monitoring the situation”.
Work to recover from cyber attack ongoing in Heathrow, airport says
08:55 , Alex CroftLate last night, London Heathrow airport said work is ongoing to deal with the impact of a cyber attack on Friday night.
“Work continues to resolve and recover from Friday's outage of a Collins Aerospace airline system that impacted check-in,” the airport wrote on X.
“We apologise to those who have faced delays, but by working together with airlines, the vast majority of flights have continued to operate.
“We encourage passengers to check the status of their flight before travelling to Heathrow and to arrive no earlier than three hours for long-haul flights and two hours for short-haul.”
Work continues to resolve and recover from Friday's outage of a Collins Aerospace airline system that impacted check-in. We apologise to those who have faced delays, but by working together with airlines, the vast majority of flights have continued to operate.
— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) September 20, 2025
We encourage… pic.twitter.com/Y5YNCiOrk2
Disruption set to continue into Sunday
08:32 , Alex CroftPassengers are facing another day of disruption at several European airports after an alleged cyber attack targeted a service provider for check-in and boarding systems.
Brussels airport says on its website that “difficult airport operations” are set to continue into Sunday as a result of Friday night’s cyber attack.
“This has a large impact on the flight schedule and unfortunately causes delays and cancellations of flights,” the airport’s website reads.
Full report: Travel chaos as thousands hit by flight delays and cancellations after cyberattack on European airport systems
08:00 , Alex CroftThousands of travellers have faced major flight disruption and cancellations after a cyberattack wreaked havoc on systems at airports across Europe.
Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin airports are among those impacted by the attack on Collins Aerospace, a company that provides check-in and baggage drop systems for major transport hubs, with dozens of flights cancelled across the three sites.
Huge, hours-long queues were reported as flights to key travel destinations, including Amsterdam, Lisbon, and Paris, were hit by delays and cancellations. Passengers at Heathrow and Brussels were warned to check their flight status with their airline before heading to the airport.
Our reporter Nicole Wotton-Cane reports alongside travel correspondent Simon Calder:
Thousands hit by disruption after cyberattack on European airport systems
European Commission 'closely monitoring' cyber attack
07:29 , Alex CroftThe European Commission has said it is "closely monitoring" a cyber attack that caused major disruption at several international airports across Europe - including Heathrow.
Berlin and Brussels airports are also affected by the attack which targeted a technical partner, Collins Aerospace.
"The Commission is closely monitoring the cyber attack that has disrupted airline check-in and boarding systems for several airlines across multiple airports globally," a spokesperson for the European Commission, which takes part in managing airspace across Europe, said on Saturday.
"While passengers are facing disruption, aviation safety and air traffic control remain unaffected.
"The Commission is working closely with EUROCONTROL, ENISA, airports and airlines to restore operations and to support passengers.
"Current signs do not indicate a widespread or severe attack."
Government should 'immediately' make statement on whether Kremlin is behind cyber attack, Lib Dems say
07:00 , Bryony GoochThe Government needs to immediately make a statement on whether Russian involvement is suspected in an alleged cyber attack on an airport check-in provider, the Liberal Democrats have said.
Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesperson Calum Miller said: "After the flagrant violation of Estonian airspace, the Government needs to urgently establish if Vladimir Putin is now attacking our cyber systems.
"If the Kremlin is behind this attack, causing chaos at our busiest airport, we need to be firm in our response."
Security chiefs 'working with' Collins Aerospace
06:00 , Bryony GoochUK security chiefs are “working with” Collins Aerospace and affected airports following today’s cyber attack.
A National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) spokesperson said: "We are working with Collins Aerospace and affected UK airports, alongside Department for Transport and law enforcement colleagues, to fully understand the impact of an incident.
“All organisations are urged to make use of the NCSC’s free guidance, services and tools to help reduce the chances of a cyber attack and bolster their resilience in the face of online threats.”
Collins Aerospace ‘cyber attack’ latest in series of incidents at UK airports
05:00 , Bryony GoochThe incident is the latest in a series that have affected UK airports since the start of the year.
Thousands of passengers trying to fly both in and out of the country faced major disruption on Wednesday July 30 after air traffic control (ATC) provider Nats was hit by a technical glitch.
More than 150 flights – 84 departures and 71 arrivals – were cancelled in airports across the UK, with the highest number of cancellations at London’s Heathrow Airport.
A number of inbound flights were also diverted to European cities as a result of the glitch, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Passengers at Stansted Airport also faced long delays and disruption on Sunday May 11 after an IT glitch caused some of the airport’s systems to fail.
The malfunction affected check-in, baggage, and security, with engineers investigating the source of the IT problem saying it may have been related to the systems’ internet access.
On Friday March 21, more than 270,000 air passenger journeys were disrupted by Heathrow airport’s closure following a fire at a nearby electrical substation.
Some 234,000 passengers booked to fly to or from Heathrow that day had their flight cancelled, diverted or delayed when the airport suffered a power outage because of a blaze at the substation in Hayes, aviation industry statistics seen by the PA news agency have showed.
No flights were permitted at the airport on that day until around 6pm.
A further 36,500 people hoping to travel the following day were affected when 74 flights, 6.1% of the total scheduled, were cancelled.
Airlines ‘furious’ after cyber attack hits flights across Europe
04:00 , Bryony Gooch
Airlines ‘furious’ after cyber attack hits flights across Europe
Recap: European Commission 'closely monitoring' cyber attack
03:00 , Bryony GoochThe European Commission has said it is “closely monitoring” a cyber attack that caused major disruption at several international airports across Europe – including Heathrow.
Berlin and Brussels airports are also affected by the attack which targeted a technical partner, Collins Aerospace.
“The Commission is closely monitoring the cyber attack that has disrupted airline check-in and boarding systems for several airlines across multiple airports globally,” a spokesperson for the European Commission, which takes part in managing airspace across Europe, said on Saturday.
“While passengers are facing disruption, aviation safety and air traffic control remain unaffected.
“The Commission is working closely with EUROCONTROL, ENISA, airports and airlines to restore operations and to support passengers.
“Current signs do not indicate a widespread or severe attack.”
Airports’ cyber attack: What rights do you have to compensation for cancelled flights?
02:00 , Bryony GoochAirports’ cyber attack: What rights do you have over cancelled flights?
Watch: Heathrow warns of delays after cyber attack cancels flights at European airports
01:00 , Bryony GoochOver 600 flights from Heathrow disrupted by cyber attack
Sunday 21 September 2025 00:00 , Bryony GoochMore than 600 flights from Heathrow have been disrupted by a cyber attack, according to flight tracking data.
FlightRadar have recorded 629 disrupted flights today after a cyber attack on Collins Aerospace led to delays across Europe.
Collins Aerospace ‘cyber attack’ latest in series of incidents at UK airports
Saturday 20 September 2025 23:00 , Bryony GoochThe incident is the latest in a series that have affected UK airports since the start of the year.
Thousands of passengers trying to fly both in and out of the country faced major disruption on Wednesday July 30 after air traffic control (ATC) provider Nats was hit by a technical glitch.
More than 150 flights – 84 departures and 71 arrivals – were cancelled in airports across the UK, with the highest number of cancellations at London’s Heathrow Airport.
A number of inbound flights were also diverted to European cities as a result of the glitch, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Passengers at Stansted Airport also faced long delays and disruption on Sunday May 11 after an IT glitch caused some of the airport’s systems to fail.
The malfunction affected check-in, baggage, and security, with engineers investigating the source of the IT problem saying it may have been related to the systems’ internet access.
On Friday March 21, more than 270,000 air passenger journeys were disrupted by Heathrow airport’s closure following a fire at a nearby electrical substation.
Some 234,000 passengers booked to fly to or from Heathrow that day had their flight cancelled, diverted or delayed when the airport suffered a power outage because of a blaze at the substation in Hayes, aviation industry statistics seen by the PA news agency have showed.
No flights were permitted at the airport on that day until around 6pm.
A further 36,500 people hoping to travel the following day were affected when 74 flights, 6.1% of the total scheduled, were cancelled.
Passenger says she 'broke down in tears' at Heathrow
Saturday 20 September 2025 22:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneHelen Steel, 49, who was trying to fly home with KLM to Oslo via Amsterdam with a cat named Thomas, told the PA news agency she “broke down in tears” after being shouted at by staff at Heathrow Airport amid long queues.
Speaking at a crowded Terminal 4, Ms Steel said: “I started travelling this morning at 3am from Dorset, and they knew about the cyber attack yesterday and didn’t tell us.
“If they just told us that there was a cyber attack, I wouldn’t have travelled up here.
“I’ve got an animal here, so I’m very concerned about his welfare.
“I’ve been shouted at twice and I broke down in tears because I was worried about him.
“None of us have had any information whatsoever. Whenever we ask ground staff, they shout at us.
“They tell us to call customer service – I’ve spent about two hours in a queue on the telephone. I then finally got through to somebody and they put the phone down on me.
“It’s another three hours to get back home and then come back up again if they find a new flight, so now I must go look for a hotel, but I’m still stuck in this queue.”
RECAP: Expert warns of 'deeply concerning' cyber attack
Saturday 20 September 2025 21:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneA leading aviation figure has called Saturday’s cyber attack “deeply concerning”.
Paul Charles, chief executive of The PC Agency and former communications director of Virgin Atlantic, told The Independent’s Simon Calder: “Many in the industry are surprised that a company of the stature and scale of Collins Aerospace has been victim of such a cyber attack. It is one of the most experienced systems suppliers in the world to airports and airlines, and governments including the UK.”
The attack affected the “Multi-User System Environment” passenger processing system, know as MUSE.
Mr Charles said: “If Collins can be hacked so easily then you have to question all suppliers. I hope they’re able to get the MUSE software affected back online quickly, otherwise flights will be affected for many days to come.”
Brussels Airport says half of departing flights tomorrow will be cancelled
Saturday 20 September 2025 20:56 , Daniel KeaneBrussels Airport said half the departing flights scheduled for Sunday will need to be cancelled due to ongoing disruption following a cyberattack that hit several European airports.
"Brussels Airport has asked airlines to cancel half of the scheduled departing flights on Sunday 21 September in order to avoid long queues and late cancellations," a spokesperson for the Belgian airport said.
Passengers argue in the long queues at Terminal 4
Saturday 20 September 2025 20:10 , Bryony GoochArguments have broken out between passengers waiting in long queues at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4.
Amid lengthy lines at the check-in area, one woman shouted at another woman: “Get out and stop pushing.
“Everyone is tired, it’s not an excuse.”
Other passengers are in heated conversations with airport staff, as frustration levels rise at the transport hub because of the delays.
Long queues at Terminal 4 leave people queuing by entrance
Saturday 20 September 2025 20:05 , Bryony GoochLong lines at the check-in area of Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4 has left passengers queuing near the entrance to the transport hub.
Airport staff have erected extra queue barriers in an attempt to manage the lengthy lines, with passengers reporting that they have been left waiting for hours.
Some passengers have resorted to sitting on their luggage amid the long delays at the airport.
ANALYSIS: What rights do you have to compensation for cancelled flights?
Saturday 20 September 2025 20:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneMany travellers will have faced cancelled or delayed flights from Heathrow, Brussels, or Berlin airports today.
But what are your rights if your flight is cancelled?
The Independent’s Simon Calder has all you need to know below...
Airports’ cyber attack: What rights do you have over cancelled flights?
European Commission 'closely monitoring' cyber attack
Saturday 20 September 2025 19:44 , Daniel KeaneThe European Commission has said it is "closely monitoring" a cyber attack that caused major disruption at several international airports across Europe - including Heathrow.
Berlin and Brussels airports are also affected by the attack which targeted a technical partner, Collins Aerospace.
"The Commission is closely monitoring the cyber attack that has disrupted airline check-in and boarding systems for several airlines across multiple airports globally," a spokesperson for the European Commission, which takes part in managing airspace across Europe, said on Saturday.
"While passengers are facing disruption, aviation safety and air traffic control remain unaffected.
"The Commission is working closely with EUROCONTROL, ENISA, airports and airlines to restore operations and to support passengers.
"Current signs do not indicate a widespread or severe attack."
RECAP: Passengers face chaos as flights cancelled and delayed across Europe
Saturday 20 September 2025 19:00 , Nicole Wootton-CanePassengers have been facing cancellations and delays at airports across Europe on Saturday after airport systems were hit by a cyber attack.
Collins Aerospace, which makes systems used for check-in and baggage loading, said it was doing everything in its power to resolve the issue.
Customers travelling from Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin airports have been directly affected, with many reporting missing connecting flights onwards due to the cyber attack.
Heathrow and Brussels airports have advised passengers not to travel to the airport before confirming the status of their flight with airlines.
Thousands hit by disruption after cyber attack on European airport systems
Passengers complain of 'utter bedlam'
Saturday 20 September 2025 18:00 , Nicole Wootton-CanePassengers have spoken of “utter bedlam” at Heathrow airport following the cyber attack.
Andy Rice, who is travelling to Minneapolis, told The Independent: “I thankfully am now onboard my flight and ready to go but T3 was utter bedlam.
“Lots of elderly passengers who were struggling to hear announcements being shouted out couldn’t hear and ended up missing flights.
“What was painfully evident was that among the Heathrow staff, most were not trained in how to marshal passengers so in the end it became a free for all melee.”
No evidence of 'widespread or severe attack', EU say
Saturday 20 September 2025 17:27 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThere is no evidence of a "widespread or severe attack,” the European Commission said in a statement about the cyber attack affecting several European airports.
It added that the origin of the incident was still under investigation.
Passengers 'sitting on floor' at crowded Heathrow
Saturday 20 September 2025 17:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThere are long queues at the check-in area of Heathrow Terminal 4 after an alleged cyber attack targeted a service provider.
Many passengers have resorted to sitting on the floor with limited seats left in the crowded terminal, as airport staff attempt to manage the snaking queues, reports the PA news agency.
Security chiefs 'working with' Collins Aerospace
Saturday 20 September 2025 16:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUK security chiefs are “working with” Collins Aerospace and affected airports following today’s cyber attack.
A National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) spokesperson said: "We are working with Collins Aerospace and affected UK airports, alongside Department for Transport and law enforcement colleagues, to fully understand the impact of an incident.
“All organisations are urged to make use of the NCSC’s free guidance, services and tools to help reduce the chances of a cyber attack and bolster their resilience in the face of online threats.”
In pictures: Chaos continues at Heathrow Airport
Saturday 20 September 2025 16:15 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Government should 'immediately' make statement on whether Kremlin is behind cyber attack, Lib Dems say
Saturday 20 September 2025 15:53 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Government needs to immediately make a statement on whether Russian involvement is suspected in an alleged cyber attack on an airport check-in provider, the Liberal Democrats have said.
Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesperson Calum Miller said: "After the flagrant violation of Estonian airspace, the Government needs to urgently establish if Vladimir Putin is now attacking our cyber systems.
"If the Kremlin is behind this attack, causing chaos at our busiest airport, we need to be firm in our response."
Man arrested Dublin airport with suspected detonators, local media reports
Saturday 20 September 2025 15:24 , Nicole Wootton-CaneA man has been arrested at Dublin Airport with suspected detonators in his bag, according to reports by the Irish Independent.
Terminal 2 at the airport was evacuated this morning due to a security concern. The terminal has since been reopened.
The evacuation will have added a further headache for an already chaotic day in European aviation, but is not believed to have been linked to the cyber attack impacting Heathrow, Berlin, and Brussels.
The Independent has reached out to Ireland’s Garda for more detail on the incident.
Cyber attack shows 'increasing vulnerabilities' in aviation sector, expert says
Saturday 20 September 2025 15:08 , Nicole Wootton-CaneCybersecurity expert Vykintas Maknickas, who is CEO of NordVPN’s travel eSIM app Saily, said today’s cyber attack is a “prime example” of risks facing the industry.
“This recent cyberattack highlights the increasing vulnerabilities within the aviation sector as airports and airlines continue to rely on interconnected systems for operations,” he said.
“As we've seen with the disruptions at major airports, the impact of a cyberattack on critical infrastructure can be profound, affecting everything from check-ins to baggage handling.”
He added the attack is a “prime example of the supply-chain risks facing the aviation industry”.
“Many airports, including those affected in this incident, rely on the same third-party systems for passenger handling. While this approach boosts operational efficiency, it significantly reduces resilience,” he explained. “A single cyberattack on one vendor can quickly escalate into widespread disruptions across multiple airports, as seen with the delays and cancellations at major European hubs like Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin.”
He reminded operators that “every outage has a human cost”.
“Business travellers are missing important meetings, families get stranded at airports, and airport workers operate under stress,” he said.
“This incident should serve as a reminder to the entire travel and tech industry to reassess and reinforce their cyber defences, especially as cyber threats continue to evolve at a rapid pace.”
Passengers in Berlin face delays
Saturday 20 September 2025 14:41 , Nicole Wootton-CaneBerlin Airport said on its website that there were longer waiting times at check-in and it was working on a quick solution. Frankfurt Airport, Germany's largest, was not affected, a spokesperson said.
At Berlin Airport, Kim Reisen was struggling with delays and a lack of clarity, telling Reuters they had only been told there was "a technical fault."
Another traveller, Siegfried Schwarz, also from Berlin, said: "I ... find it inexplicable that, with today's technology, there's no way to defend yourself against something like that."
