A cyberattack on Collins Aerospace, a U.S.-based provider of passenger check-in and baggage handling software, plunged major European airports into chaos over the weekend. Beginning late Friday, the disruption rippled across hubs in Brussels, Berlin, and London, crippling critical check-in systems and forcing a reversion to manual operations. Brussels Airport was hardest hit, canceling nearly half of all Monday departures after the provider admitted it could not yet deliver a secure system update. While self-service kiosks and online check-in remained functional, airports scrambled to deploy backup laptops, extra staff, and handwritten boarding passes to keep operations afloat. The fallout underscored the vulnerability of global aviation to single points of failure in third-party technology providers. Though aviation safety and air traffic control were never compromised, the cascading effects were severe: massive delays, canceled flights, frustrated passengers, and mounting costs for airlines and airports alike. As investigations continue into the source of the cyberattack—whether criminal, independent, or state-sponsored—the incident serves as a sobering reminder of how fragile critical infrastructure becomes when third-party digital supply chains are targeted.
#cyberattack #aviationsecurity #CollinsAerospace #BrusselsAirport #flightcancellations #cybersecurity #supplychainrisk #airportsecurity #cyberresilience #airtravel
