Grounded by a Hack: Check-In Systems Go Dark
On Saturday morning, travelers at Heathrow, Berlin and Brussels airports were met with surprise: check-in and boarding systems had been hit by a cyberattack. 😱 The result? Dozens of flight delays and cancellations that left passengers scrambling for answers.
What happened?
- As of 11:30 GMT, 29 flights were cancelled across the three hubs, according to aviation data provider Cirium.
- Heathrow had 651 departures scheduled; Brussels 228; Berlin 226.
- Dublin and Cork airports reported minor knock-on effects.
How are authorities reacting?
The European Commission said it’s closely monitoring the incident and working with related agencies to restore normal operations. Aviation safety and air traffic control systems were not affected, easing some worries. 🛫
Brussels airport staff have already asked airlines to cancel half of Sunday’s departures to manage the backlog, while passengers are strongly advised to confirm flight status before heading to the airport.
British Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and cyber defense teams in the UK and Germany are receiving regular updates as investigations continue. Current signs suggest this wasn’t a large-scale or highly severe attack, but experts warn it’s yet another reminder of how vulnerable global travel networks can be to digital threats.
As the weekend unfolds, travelers should stay flexible and keep an eye on airline notifications. Here’s hoping the lines aren’t too long when the screens come back to life! ✈️
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
