Cyberattack disrupts operations at European airports

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

Arab Gulf_Agencies: A cyberattack has caused flight delays at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport in the German capital, according to the German News Agency. The airport announced this morning (Saturday) that a passenger registration systems service company was attacked yesterday evening (Friday), prompting the airport to later disconnect the affected systems. The airport explained that, as a result, passengers are expected to face longer waiting times at check-in and boarding, in addition to some flight delays. The airport said in a statement: "The attack did not target the airport directly, but rather affected it indirectly." The affected system is used in several airports across Europe. In addition to Berlin, other European airports, including Brussels Airport in the Belgian capital, were affected by the cyberattack. Brussels Airport warned on its website of significant repercussions on flight operations as a result of the attack, explaining that several European airports were also affected. Heathrow Airport in London announced the possibility of delays, but described it as a "technical problem." The extent of the damage at other airports is not yet clear. Brussels Airport added that check-in and boarding are currently being done manually due to the system outage, noting that the service provider is working to address the problem as quickly as possible. The airport predicted delays and cancellations of flights, calling on passengers to check the status of their flights with airlines before arriving at the airport, and to arrive at the airport early enough if the flight is confirmed to be operating. For its part, Heathrow Airport explained that a third party that provides check-in and boarding systems for a number of airlines is experiencing a technical problem, noting that efforts are underway to fix it quickly.