European Flights Disrupted by Cyberattack
Flights across Europe faced widespread disruption Tuesday as a suspected cyberattack impacted air traffic control systems at several major airports, including Heathrow, Dublin, and airports in Germany and Poland. Passengers reported notable delays and cancellations, with airlines scrambling to mitigate the impact.
The disruption began Tuesday morning, affecting flight operations at London heathrow, Dublin Airport, and multiple German airports including Berlin and Frankfurt. While Frankfurt Airport reported no impact, Berlin Airport acknowledged longer check-in waiting times and efforts to find a solution. Passengers at Dublin Airport expressed frustration with a lack of information, with one traveller stating, “Regrettably, the airline I’m with… they don’t have a service desk here, so we’ve been left in the dark. It’s been a great chaos, and it’s been quite… frustrating for most people here.”
At Berlin Airport, Kim Reisen noted they were only informed of “a technical fault,” while Siegfried Schwarz expressed disbelief that “with today’s technology, there’s no way to defend yourself against something like that.”
EasyJet stated it was currently operating normally and did not anticipate further disruption. Ryanair and british airways owner International Airlines Group (IAG) did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Delta Air Lines reported minimal impact, implementing a workaround to reduce disruption.Polish authorities indicated no threats to Polish airports.
The cause of the disruption is currently under investigation, but authorities suspect a cyberattack. The incident highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyber threats and the potential for significant disruption to global travel.
