Source: Independent
Date: 22nd September 2025

Collins Aerospace system outage delays flights and disrupts air cargo operations across Europe.

Flight disruption is continuing at London Heathrow and other European airports after a cyber attack on Collins Aerospace, the provider of airline check-in and boarding systems.

The outage, which began on Friday, forced many airlines to switch to manual processes, leading to widespread cancellations and delays.

Heathrow confirmed it has deployed additional staff to assist passengers and minimise disruption, while Brussels Airport and Berlin Brandenburg Airport warned that delays and cancellations would extend into Sunday and beyond.

According to FlightRadar data, more than 600 flights were disrupted at Heathrow alone on Saturday, with further cancellations reported on Sunday across Brussels, Berlin, Dublin, and other hubs.

Airlines including British Airways, Lufthansa, Aer Lingus, and easyJet have cancelled multiple services, while carriers from the Middle East and Asia also faced significant delays.

Brussels Airport has asked airlines to cancel half of Monday’s departures as the system outage remains unresolved.

Beyond passenger disruption, the cyber attack is also affecting air cargo.

Many passenger flights carry freight in their bellyhold, meaning cancelled or delayed flights have left shipments stuck at airports or rerouted through alternative hubs.

Manual workarounds are slowing down processing at terminals, creating backlogs that risk missed delivery windows. Shippers may face longer transit times, additional storage charges, and higher costs to reroute urgent goods, especially for industries reliant on time-sensitive deliveries.

While dedicated freighter flights appear less affected, the wider disruption underscores how vulnerable global airfreight can be to cyber threats.