Flights thrown into chaos
Heathrow Airport passengers faced widespread disruption today after a cyberattack crippled check-in and boarding systems, leaving travellers stranded and flights cancelled.
Service provider compromised
The attack targeted a third-party service provider used by several major European airports, forcing airlines to suspend digital operations while emergency systems were activated.
Long queues reported
Hundreds of passengers were pictured waiting in lengthy queues at Heathrow terminals, with some reporting delays of several hours and little information from staff.
Passengers describe confusion
“We’ve been standing here since 6 am and nobody can tell us if our flight is even going,” said Linda Crawford, who was due to travel to Barcelona. “It’s chaos — families with children are just sitting on the floor.”
Flights grounded
British Airways, Lufthansa, and several other carriers confirmedseveralf flights had been cancelled due to the technical disruption, while others were delayed indefinitely.
Impact across Europe
Airports in Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam also confirmed problems with their systems, raising concerns that the cyberattack may have been coordinated to cause maximum disruption.
Manual systems deployed
Airline staff switched to manual check-in and boarding processes in an attempt to keep flights moving, but capacity was severely reduced compared with normal operations.
Airport statement
Heathrow issued a statement apologising to passengers, confirming the disruption was linked to a cyber incident, and urging travellers not to come to the airport unless necessary.
Security investigation launched
UK aviation officials and cybersecurity experts are working with Europol and other European agencies to determine the source and scale of the attack.
Experts warn of growing threats.
Professor Alex Chandler, a cybersecurity analyst at King’s College London, said the incident highlighted how vulnerable aviation infrastructure remains to hackers. “Targeting check-in systems causes instant disruption for thousands of people. It’s a high-impact, low-effort strike.”
Passengers urged to rebook
Airlines have advised passengers to rebook flights where possible or monitor official apps and websites for updates, though many services were also temporarily offline.
Business impact feared
Analysts warned the disruption could cost airlines and airports millions of pounds in refunds, compensation, and lost revenue if systems are not restored quickly.
Government briefed
The Department for Transport confirmed it had been briefed on the situation and said it was “monitoring developments closely” alongside the National Cyber Security Centre.
Holiday plans ruined
Families travelling for late-summer breaks described their frustration at having their holidays cancelled at short notice. “We’ve saved for a year for this trip,” said Daniel Marks, who was due to fly to Greece. “Now we don’t even know when we’ll get out.”
Tech provider silent
The technology provider at the centre of the hack has not yet issued a public statement, though sources suggested it was working urgently to restore systems.
Fears of repeat attacks
Security experts have warned the incident could encourage copycat cyberattacks unless stronger protections are introduced across Europe’s aviation sector.
Calls for stronger defence
Aviation unions and passenger rights groups have urged governments and airports to invest more heavily in cybersecurity infrastructure, warning that future attacks could target safety-critical systems.
Passengers told to check statu.s
Heathrow reiterated that passengers should not travel to the airport without confirmation from their airline that flights were operating, as delays were expected to continue.
Europe braces for further disruption
With airports across the continent struggling to restore services, officials warned disruption could last for several days and impact connecting flights worldwide.
Situation remains critical
As evening approached, many passengers were still stranded in terminals, with airlines unable to confirm when normal operations would resume.
M10News UK Desk | Contact: uk@m10news.com
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