Are flights departing Heathrow Airport? Passengers warned of major delays amid 'technical issue' and suspected cyber attack
Passengers travelling from Heathrow Airport are facing major delays amid a “technical issue” that has impacted airports across the world.
It has been reported that those departing the major London airport are facing lengthy queues and wait times after issue arose with check in and boarding systems. At the time of writing, most departing flights are scheduled on time but passengers are being warned to check their flight status before travelling.
Heathrow Airport told passengers on social media: “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.”
The technical issue which has hit Heathrow’s check in and boarding systems has also impacted other major European airports. Brussels Airport has suggested that a cyberattack is to blame for the disruption, adding that staff at the Belgian travel hub are only able to currently use manual check-in processes.
The airport said in a statement: “There was a cyberattack on Friday night 19 September against the service provider for the check-in and boarding systems affecting several European airports including Brussels Airport.
“This means that at the moment only manual check-in and boarding is possible. The service provider is actively working on the issue and trying to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.”
Brussels Airport added that flights may be subject to delay and cancellation due to the ongoing check-in and boarding issues.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport has also reported problems for departing passengers. The airport posted an update to its website which read: “Due to a technical issue at a system provider operating across Europe, there are longer waiting times at check-in. We are working on a quick solution.”