355/68 Monday, September 22, 2025
Collins Aerospace, a U.S.-based aviation technology company under RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies), has suffered a cyberattack that disrupted the check-in and boarding systems at several major European airports, including London Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin. The incident caused widespread delays and cancellations, leaving thousands of passengers facing long queues and hours of waiting. It was confirmed that the attack directly impacted Muse Software, Collins’ operational solution. The disruption began on Friday night, forcing many airports to revert to manual check-in procedures. Brussels Airport announced that check-in could only be performed manually, Berlin Airport reported extended delays, and Heathrow urged passengers to check their flight status before traveling. According to Cirium, at least 29 flights were canceled out of more than 1,000 scheduled flights across the three airports.
RTX confirmed awareness of the incident and stated that mitigation efforts were underway, noting: “The disruption affected Muse Software at some airports, impacting check-in and automated baggage systems. Temporary fixes are in place using manual check-in, and full restoration of services is being expedited.” Meanwhile, the European Commission reported no evidence so far of a wider coordinated attack, with the source of the incident still under investigation.
Cybersecurity experts warn that the event highlights the risks of critical infrastructure over-reliance on a single vendor, creating a single point of failure that can trigger a chain reaction across multiple airports if compromised. Statistics show that cyberattacks on the aviation sector have risen by more than 600% between 2024 and 2025, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures, contingency planning, and proactive monitoring to safeguard passengers and aviation operations.
