Heathrow Airport latest: Flights cancelled and delayed as cyber attack hits check-in systems around Europe - which airports are affected?

It was reported earlier today that a cyber attack on third-party firm Collins Aerospace had impacted departing flights from various major airports around Europe. Collins Aerospace said in a statement that it was “aware of cyber-related disruption” to its services at “select airports”.

The company added: “The impact is limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop and can be mitigated with manual check-in operations.”

Heathrow Airport, the UK’s biggest and busiest airport, was one of those affected by the outage. According to FlightRadar24, 221 flights have been delayed so far today, with seven flights cancelled altogether at the time of writing.

The major London airport said in a recent update to passengers: “Collins Aerospace, which provides check-in and boarding systems for several airlines across multiple airports globally, is experiencing a technical issue that may cause delays for departing passengers. While the provider works to resolve the problem quickly, we advise passengers to check their flight status with their airline before travelling.

“Please arrive no earlier than three hours before a long-haul flight or two hours before a domestic flight. Additional colleagues are available in check-in areas to assist and help minimise disruption. We apologise for any inconvenience.”

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “I’m aware of an incident affecting airline check-in and boarding, impacting flights at Heathrow and other European airports.

“I’m getting regular updates and monitoring the situation. If you’re flying at Heathrow today, check with your airline before travelling.”

Passengers has told of how the cyber attack has impacted their travel plans. Maria Casey, from Aldershot in Hampshire, had been due to set off on a two-week backpacking holiday in Thailand and was set to depart Heathrow at 9.30am, but ended up queuing for three hours to check her bags in.

She said: “They had to write our baggage tabs by hand. Only two desks were staffed, which is why we were cheesed off. Didn’t know then it was a cyber attack until four hours later.”

Which airports have been affected by cyber attack?

A handful of European airports have confirmed that they are experiencing issues as a result of the outage at Collins Aerospace. These airports include:

• Heathrow Airport
• Brussels Airport
• Berlin Brandenburg Airport

Other major UK airports such as Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham Airports do not appear to have been affected by the issue.

The latest updates on departure from Heathrow Airport can be found on the travel hub’s website. You can also contact your airline directly to check the status of your flight.